Love is Beautiful
by SeaEmerald
Summary: Just random, fluffy one-shots revolving around my all-time favorite couple in Winx Club. (8 one-shots; not a story)
1. A New Addition

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

So...I got this idea from another author from a different cartoon in Fanfiction. She's probably not going to see this but her name's Cresenta. So anyway, she started this trend of creating chapter wise moments of another favorite couple of mine. And voila! I thought I'd do something similar to that for my one of my favorite couples in Winx Club.

So this will be just chapter wise one-shots of random, fluffy lovey dovey moments between S&B.

 ** _If you do want more, please do let me know xD_**

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 **~ The Bahamas Resorts - 7:00 AM ~**

Stella sat in the living room restlessly on a brown leather couch as she tugged at the edge of her pajamas shirt nervously. She's not the type of person to be up _this_ early. No, no, no. But today was different. She's actually apprehensive about facing _him_ today. With another agitated sigh, she leaned against the shoulder of the leather couch. She inhaled and exhaled a few times trying to appease her mind and heart that everything is going to be okay. Trying to shut out everything, she closed her eyes and breathed.

Trying to appease herself, she never heard the soft click of the bedroom door nor the light footsteps against the padded carpet.

 **His** eyes snapped awake fully when he noticed **her** laying down in front of him peacefully. His lips formed into an affectionate smile as he neared her with nonexistent footsteps, not wanting to disturb her from her temporary slumber. He bent slowly as he watched her sleep. _Or try to, at least._ He frowned at the nearly invisible creases on her forehead clearly showing that she's troubled by something.

He slightly raised himself and placed a tender kiss on her cheek. Stella's eyes opened as she let out a small gasp. He smirked slightly seeing her awake. "I thought I was the one usually up at this hour," he smiled. She simply offered him a light smile.

He gently picked her up from the couch. He smiled at the way she automatically moved into his arms, making herself more comfortable.

"Did I wake you up?" she asked with a sleepy sigh as she leaned her head against his shoulder. She breathed against his neck, sending tingles down his spine. Holding her body close to his, he perched himself down on the couch, making her sit down in his lap. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and buried herself into his chest.

"Why're you up this early?" he asked as he let her rest against her. She didn't say anything.

"Sunshine...is something wrong?" he asked once more not liking her dull behavior. "Please don't say anything for a few moments," she spoke against the folds of his shirt. He kept mum instantly. He clutched her small frame close to him and patiently waited for her to say _anything._

Last night was supposed to be... _eventful..._ but she requested for him to simply hold her close. At such a precious request, he controlled his inferno for her instantly and did her bidding. Each word from her is a gift to him. She's more than his first love. She's his world and a treasure to him. He didn't know what he did to deserve such a beautiful angel.

But these past few days, she seemed to suddenly withdraw from him. She might think that he didn't pick up on anything. But he noticed it alright. He's a trained warrior. If he can pick up on footsteps many meters away, he sure as hell can notice subtle differences in the woman he loved and cherished with all his heart.

"...Brand..?" she murmured.

"Hmm?" he answered while playing with her bouncy blonde curls.

"I...I'm scared," she answered meekly.

His eyes widened as he stiffened slightly. He gently pulled her face from his chest and was shocked to see her eyes flood with tears. She looked so vulnerable at the moment that his heart stopped at once for a few moments.

"Stel? Hey, what's wrong?" he asked her gently. But on the inside, he was panicking. "Are you hurt? Did anyone hurt you?" he asked as he eyed her body for any injuries. Well, normally, he'd known if she was hurt anywhere considering he knew every inch of her. But she barely said a peep these past few days let alone let him touch her.

She shook her head as her beautiful eyes glistened with tears.

"Tell me what's wrong. What are you afraid of?" he asked with concern.

"...You...I'm afraid t-t-that...you'll l-l-leave me," a tear flowed down her cheek. She let out a choked sob and started to cry. His eyes laced over with concern immediately. _What the hell?_ he thought as he watched her cry.

"Sunshine, what're you talking about? Why would I ever leave you?" he asked as he sat up straight while clutching her close to him. She remained silent as she watched him with heartbroken eyes.

"Is this about that fight a few days ago? Stel-" he started but was interrupted by a shake of her head. Yeah, he didn't think she would be upset enough for a few days over a silly fight. They fought all the time, but they were childish fights. So what was bothering her so immensely?

"Then what is it? Sunshine, I can't help if I don't know what's bothering-" he started as his panic only increased.

"I'm pregnant," she said suddenly making him stop.

Stella felt him stiffen as he stared at her blankly with wide disbelieving eyes. She sniffled a little as a few tears leaked down her eyes. "W-what'd you say?" he whispered as he gazed into her eyes.

"I...I'm...I'm pregnant," Stella said nervously.

 _I'm pregnant._

Those two words echoed in Brandon's mind repeatedly as he blinked a few times to comprehend the meaning of the simple sentence. His ray of sunshine...is _pregnant._

"Brandon?" she uttered his name timidly. Why was he sitting there like a statue instead of reacting?!

His eyes bore into hers as he swam back to reality. His Stella is pregnant! He clasped her cheek. "You're pregnant?" he whispered still disbelieving. She nodded slowly. "Are you sure?" he asked once more. She nodded slowly as more tears came out of her beautiful eyes. He caught her tears immediately.

"You're pregnant..." he whispered as his lips burst out in joy. "Stella, you're pregnant!" he shouted happily as he stood up picking her in his arms. She squealed when he twirled her around a few times in the air. He's going to be a... _father._ He's going to be a father!

As realization seeped through his brain, he set her down on her feet. "So...you're not mad?" she asked him hopefully. He didn't say anything. Instead, he just looked at her in awe. What did he do to deserve such a beautiful and captivating woman? There was no end to the amount of happiness she brought for him.

She shifted from one foot to the other every few seconds waiting for an answer. _And he'll give her one._ He cupped her face and descended his lips on hers in a kiss. His arm travelled south till the mid of her back as he hitched her closer to him. Stella let out a soft moan as their lips moved in perfect sync.

They pulled back after a few moments. Stella blushed at the intensity of his gaze.

"Why would you ever think that I'd be mad?" he spoke against her lips as he brought his forehead down on hers.

"...You...you said a few weeks ago that you wanted kids a few years later. That we're not prepared for them yet," Stella admitted the cause of her worry.

"Stella..." he said, his tone slightly holding a warning. "Never _ever_ cry again. Do you understand?"

She giggled. She wrapped her arms around him as she held him tightly. "I love you," she whispered with a smile that always mesmerized him.

He kissed her forehead. "I love you more, princess." He let her go slightly as an arm rested against her back and another slipped underneath her shirt. "I love both of you," he whispered as he kissed her cheek tenderly. Her eyes shimmered with happiness at that. _Why did I worry so much?_ she thought blithely.

"You're my wife. I mean, if you're worried that I'll leave you then I clearly am not doing a good job of being a husband," he smirked. Stella yelped as he picked her up for the hundredth time today. Her cheeks turned crimson at the suggestive look her husband gave her as he carried her to the bedroom.

Stella saw the love he had for her in his eyes. At that moment, it seemed as if nothing else mattered.

 _Because as long as she had him, everything will be okay in her life._

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 **Um. I'm not that good with one-shots,** _ **clearly.**_ **But I really wanted a pregnant moment! I mean, I wish my moment with my future husband is something like this :D**


	2. Who is the Burglar?

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

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 **Summary:** _ **Sometimes, the past can come back and bite you in the butt. In Stella's case, her past is over six feet tall and breaks into her apartment just for the heck of it.**_

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Stella yawned sleepily as she entered into her dimly apartment. Today was the _worst._ She thought that being a fashion designer was a rad career choice, but boy, was she ever wrong. She had fun and enjoyed the limelight when her couture designs quickly became a sensation overnight.

But her fun and sleep shortlived when she expanded her territories as different companies started to approach her to design various dresses for different occasions: cocktail dresses, casual wear, party dresses, wedding dresses, etc.

"Ugh," she groaned as she threw her bag aside. She quickly made a beeline to her kitchen without even bothering to change. The stupid board meeting to freaking approve her designs had taken over five hours. _Five hours!_ She's a designer, not a freaking businesswoman!

She turned on the lights and sighed when she saw the clock in the kitchen glaring back at her with a pair of aggravating hands. The minute and second hands read nearly 12:20in the morning. And she hadn't had anything since small time snack in the evening.

She ran to her cabinets and started raiding each one of them for any signs of edible food she can eat. "Oh c'mon!" she angrily muttered when she didn't even find packed food. She bolted to her refridgerator for any leftover food.

 _None._

She let out a frustrated yell. "Ahhh!" she screamed as she switched off the lights before going back to the living room. She searched her purse and to her delight, she found a large Hersheys bar. Opening it eagerly, she hummed in satisfaction as she munched on the delectable chocolate.

"Ahh...this is the life," she munched appreciatively. It didn't take her long to finish all 12 blocks of the chocolate. She threw the wrapper away before heading for the bedroom.

She yawned as she slowly took off her jacket and threw it on the bed. She went to her closet and picked the most comfortable nightgown to wear. Without even bothering to turn on the lights, she discarded her day clothes and slipped into the nightgown. She took her hair off from the ponytail and shook it loose as soft curls spilled back her shoulders effortlessly. Normally, she would've showered after a long day of work, but tonight...she was too tired to take another step.

She turned on the air conditioner and sleepily walked to her bed.

She let out small coos of pleasure as she slipped into her warm covers. Her body loosened slightly, sending her small shivers down her spine. She pulled the covers till her chin and closed her eyes with a small smile.

Her moment was interrupted when she felt strong arms around her waist. Her back hit a warm, broad chest. Stella's eyes opened wide abruptly. She was about to scream out of fear when a hand clasped around her mouth. She felt extremely self-conscious at the moment. _She knew from the touch that it was a man._ And the fact that she was only wearing a flimsy nightgown didn't nothing to help her case. Her heart thudded against her chest in fright and she let out a muffled scream.

"Hey, sunshine," a deep, rich voice whispered against the shell of her ear. Stella stopped moving and went instantly frigid. She simply lay there as she processed the voice.

Could it be _**him**_? Is it really him? No. NO. NO! It can't be him! Her throat went dry as no words came out of her mouth.

"What? No hello? And here I thought you'd be more eager to see me," he said as Stella practically pictured him smirking right now. Her eyes watered immediately. _What was he doing here?_

Stella's mind came back to her senses. She finally realized she had arms and legs and pushed him away. Stella let out the breath she hasn't realized she'd been holding. She jumped out of her bed before he could touch her again. But he made no movement. She could see the smirk on his face even in the pitch dark. She stared at his silhouette. He had gotten...muscular. Why did God have to craft him so beautifully?!

"H-h-how did you get in here?" she finally uttered not even bothering to turn on the lights.

"I was a specialist once. Locked or unlocked doors...they make no difference to me," he smirked as he lay there watching her.

"Stop being a smartass! What the hell are you doing here?" Stella hissed acidly.

"Well, I was near the market and since your house is close by, I decided to drop by," he smirked.

Stella stared at him dumbfounded at his response. She blinked as he rolled across the bed. She snapped out of her trance when she saw him walking towards her predatorily.

"Stay the hell away from me," Stella said icily as she took a few steps backwards.

"Now why would I do that? By the way...you look pretty hot," he muttered.

She blushed at his comment. Thank God it was dark so he couldn't see her blush. Stella backed up to the wall as the distance between them decreased. He smirked as he neared her. He placed his arms on either side of head.

"I missed you," he mused while burying his head somewhere in her hair.

Stella's eyes flooded with tears. "No, stop!" she pushed him away sharply. He expected that and he sort of did deserve that for everything he did. She escaped from him and tried to make a run for it. Stella gasped slightly when the lights suddenly turned on.

Before she could take another step to dash out of her room, she felt two arms wound tightly against her. Her heart raced as her back hit against a strongly built chest. "No, stop! Let me go!" she squirmed as she silently pleaded for him to _not_ let go at the same time.

"Where do you want to go, sunshine? It's pretty late," he said with amusement. He longed to see her beautiful face. _The face he missed so damn much._

He let out an annoyed sigh when she started to hit his arms. He twirled her around sharply until stopping until they were within a foot away from Stella's mirror.

His eyes widened as he saw Stella in the mirror before him. She's...

No words described his feelings at the moment as his eyes trained her features. All the memories and all the moments with her came rushing back to his head, hitting him with a full force. Her lips quivered slightly as she tried not to lose it.

She raised her eyes and her lips slightly parted as she noticed how much he had changed. He changed so much, but at the same time, he didn't. His eyes softened immensely when he saw a tear slide down her cheek, tainting the beauty of her face.

"Why're you here, Brandon?" Stella's voice cracked as she looked at him with broken eyes.

He turned her around and faced her seriously this time. "I missed you, sunshine. You have no idea how much I missed you over the past ten months."

Her eyes flared in anger at that. "Really?! Then why the hell did I get dumped?"

His eyes softened. "I never dumped you. You know that."

"Really?! Then why the hell did we live as strangers for _ten months?!_ Why did you come back?! Now you have time for me? Well, guess what? I'm not a whore that you can summon any time you want," she spoke with acid on her tongue.

His eyes widened at her acrid choice of words. _Now it was his turn to get angry._ "Are you serious? Stella, you know me better than that!" he yelled as his voice boomed off the walls.

"Do I? You dumped me, Brandon! You didn't want me anymore! You didn't love me anymore. What was I supposed to feel?!" Stella yelled back.

He let her go and stepped back slightly. He ran a hand through his chestnut locks in frustration. "I never said any of those words," he said with his jaw clenched.

"You might as well have. Why are you here now anyway?!"

He took a step closer to her when she took one back. His patience grew thin at that. "I missed you, Stel. It wasn't easy for me either," he said.

Stella's eyes flared again. "It wasn't easy for you?! What about me?! Do you know...do you know what I went through?" her voice cracked as she looked at him with heartbroken eyes. "I thought...I thought that we would last. I prayed every single day that you would stay by my side each waking hour."

He remained silent as her voice broke even more. Tears flooded Stella's eyes and started to stream down her face. "I couldn't take it anymore. I nearly went insane thinking about you. All the nightmares I had...all the times I called out for you... _it was hell._ I indulged myself in work. I came back everyday at ridiculous hours just for sleeping. Do you know how it feels? Do you know how that pain felt?!" Her voice started out loud in the beginning but fell into a low whisper at the end. Her body started to shake as she let out a choked sob.

He instantly rushed to her and took her in his arms. "I'm sorry, baby. I'm so sorry, sunshine," he whispered while softly kissing her tears away. "I never stopped loving you even for a second. I left because I thought it was safer for you."

She sobbed. "No. It's because you were tired of me," she said sadly.

He shook his head. "That's not true," he said firmly. "The missions that the specialists and I were assigned to...they were too dangerous. _I had to leave,_ so that _you_ could be safe."

"I'm a fairy, Brandon! I can defend myself, okay? I'm not a pathetic glass bowl!"

He suppressed a smile at that. "I know you're not. But you were and are too important to me. I didn't know how long that mission would take, so I said that I wanted a break."

"Couldn't you have just told me to wait?! I would have waited for you!" she cried harder.

"But this was one where there were slim chances of me returning," he said glumly. Stella's eyes widened. "W-w-what?"

"Why else would you think that I'd ask you to move on? In case I didn't return...I didn't want to talk to you through a goodbye letter. So I broke up with you before I left," he spoke softly while gently cupping her face.

She stared at him with wide eyes before more tears cascaded down her cheeks. "Then why are you here now?! You suddenly return out of nowhere as if the past ten months didn't exist!" she screamed.

He appeared unfazed by her outburst. "Don't you want me back?" he said gently while caressing her cheek. She stopped.

 _Don't you want me back?_

Stella's eyes glistened. Of course she wanted him! She wanted him back so much! She wanted to wake up every morning with him and sleep in his arms every night. But...

"You're just going to leave again," she said sadly as more tears leaked out of her eyes. "P-p-p-please leave. Brandon, I can't handle it if you leave each time you think that I might be in danger. If you keep showing up and disappearing, I...I can never heal from a broken heart," she whispered as she sniffled.

Her words felt as if someone drove a sharp stake through the pits of his heart. His eyes glistened slightly as he saw her cry in agony. He wrapped an arm around her waist and took a step closer to her. He lifted her beautiful face with his finger before wiping her endless tears away. He attached his forehead and dwelled in the depth of her eyes for a few moments before breaking the silence.

"I...quit," he whispered softly as his lips slightly brushed against hers. Her golden-brown eyes widened as she blinked a few times. "W-w-what?" she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I couldn't stand to be away from you anymore. I finished the mission and...I _quit,"_ he said firmly as he told her lovingly with nothing but affection in his eyes.

"But you loved your job," she asserted disbelievingly.

"I love you even more," he retorted right on cue.

She remained in a hushed silence.

"Stel...please give me another chance. I swear I'll never leave you again," he pleaded as he pulled her even closer, _if that's even possible._

"And...if you do?" she sniffled. "What am I supposed to do then?"

He smiled. "You have powers. I'm sure you have the advantage here."

A soft laugh burst from Stella's lips as he wiped her tears away. "That's a yes?" he asked.

"Yes! A hundred times yes!" she nodded vigorously as she wrapped her arms around his torso and buried her head into his chest.

"I love you," she mumbled against his shirt.

He pulled her back just slighty. With a swift motion, he captured her lips as she let out a surprised moan. The kiss, although started out as gentle, quickly turned passionate and almost ferocious as they both poured their frustrations and longing into it.

Many, many moments later, they pulled back. Stella panted slightly out of breath while she stared up at him with shimmering eyes.

"I love you even more," he said with a smile that made her heart skip a few beats. She blushed and stood there in his arms, still not believing that he's back. He's really back. _Whatever the reason he left her for...it no longer existed._

"So you're jobless now?" she teased.

He smirked against her lips. "So will you be considering I have no intention to let you out of my eyesight any time soon." She blushed at the intense gaze that he mustered towards her.

But time soon started to catch up to her as Stella realized how exhausted she felt. She suppressed a yawn but he managed to catch it anyway.

"We'll talk tomorrow," he reassured her.

In a few moments, they were both comfortably entangled and entrenched in each other's presence, lost somewhere in the silky white sheets. Stella buried herself in his arms. Her pillow was tossed somewhere on the floor as she found no use for it anymore, making him laugh. _He really missed her._

"This isn't a dream, right?" Stella mumbled. Even it is a dream, she _never_ wanted to get out of it. This past year had been nothing short of hell. It was torturous not having him by her side. Her work was the only thing that had kept her fortunately sane throughout these months.

But what kept her _really_ alive and going is the small glimmer of hope that she held within in. The hope that he would return to her.

 _The hope that her lost happiness would be found again._

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 **This flu is really getting the worst of me because I nearly fell down a flight of stairs yesterday due to it. Heh, yup. I'm a total klutz and a nerd in real life.**

 **Well, I hope you liked it anyway. I know I said that I would keep every story on hold until Shattered Heart is complete, but I couldn't resist a burglar Brandon xD**

 **Hope you enjoyed/smiled once.**

 **Thank you for reading :)**


	3. No More Running Away

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 _ **I did write this one shot before for another series but deleted it on that one :o**_

 _ **So I don't know why I'm reposting this on this series. Mainly because I felt that this scenario would suit Brella more XD So do tell me what you thought :o**_

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 _"WAITTT!"_

An anxious blonde picked up her pace as she walked down the paved, cemented road. It was mid-December and Stella Solaria was freezing half to death especially since she simply stormed out of the house with nothing but a tank top and shorts on. Even her feet were nearly bare with the exception of white socks. And the deadly cold, hard, cemented sidewalk underneath her did nothing to help her case.

But she couldn't help it. A certain someone, precisely a tall, handsome, dark brown haired man, was royally pissed off at her. She followed him but it was nearly impossible to keep up with his unreasonably long strides. She felt a feeling of dread overcome her.

No, not dread. It's more of a feeling of...'fix-it-right-now-or-you'll-lose-him'. And Stella particularly didn't enjoy it.

Her teeth chattered and her senses began to grow numb. She usually avoided confrontations with _him_ of all people, but eh. Desperate times called for desperate measures.

"FOR GOD'S SAKE, STOP!" Stella yelled not that he heard. He probably did, but he chose not to give a damn. His feet still maintained that rigid pace and she struggled not to get her feet implanted into the ground. Can't he even acknowledge that maybe she's freezing right now?! She didn't even have the common sense to slip some slippers on!

Stella cursed under her breath as he picked up his pace even further. With a ' _grrr'_ , she broke into a sprint and unceremoniously jumped on his back. He let out a low grunt and staggered to get his balance.

"WHAT THE BLOODY-?!" he nearly yelled while trying to regain his balance.

"Didn't I tell you to stop?! I'm freezin' over here!" Stella yelled into his ear nearly making his hearing go deaf. She hit his back with her fist to emphasize her point.

Glaring at her, he dropped her from his back and turned around fiercely to face her. "What the hell do you want?!"

His anger made her stomach coil around itself in fear. She kind of jumped on his back instinctively. _Turns out I have nothing to say_ , Stella thought dryly. She averted her light brown eyes from him and looked down at her toes. She's getting cold feet and she meant it both ways.

Unable to tolerate the cold any longer, she started to hop from one foot to another. He had to resist the urge to smile at that. Instead, he dramatically sighed to state that he was clearly annoyed with her presence right now. He is, actually.

But...the longer he gazed at her, the faster his _I'll-be-angry-at-this-girl-for-the-rest-of-my-life_ resolve started to break.

Sighing with annoyance again, he took off his shoes and his jacket. He tossed the jacket in her face and kicked the shoes to her feet. She stared incredulously at his pompous attitude. He crossed his arms as he looked at her with icy eyes. Stella stopped debating and hurriedly put them on. The jacket went past her thighs. She probably looked comical right now, but she didn't care. She craved the heat right now. Stella then looked at her feet. His shoes were nearly twice the size of her feet. She burst out laughing and then stopped when she noticed that he was still glaring at her. Her lips zipped and she stood there blankly gaping at him.

"Do you actually have anything to say?" Brandon asked as he impatiently tapped his foot.

Not really...

Stella chuckled dryly. "No, of course I do! I wouldn't tell you to stop if I didn't! Heh." She smiled at him but threw that out the window when she realized that he looked less than amused.

"Stop procrastinating. You're wasting my time, Stella," he hissed.

 _Ouch._

Stella knew she was in trouble now. He rarely called her by her whole name. He usually referred to her using affectionate nicknames like _princess, beautiful,_ and _sunshine_ (this one's her favorite). His eyes were hard and dangerous, a distinguishing contraire to his normal, loving, warm, chocolate brown eyes.

"I'm procrastinating because you're scaring me!" Stella crossed her arms stubbornly.

He raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding me?"

"Um..." she trailed off. She sighed a second later. "Look, I'm sorry! How many times do I have to say it? Should I wear a T-shirt that says I'm sorry?!"

He rolled his eyes. "Sorry about what exactly?"

"You know what!"

"I do, but I'm making sure you know it too. So _spill_."

Stella shot a small glare at the arrogant prick. Why is she even bothering to explain herself right now?!

Here goes nothing. "I'm sorry for doing that, okay?!"

...

...

 _Say something, you goof!_ Stella thought. But it seemed as if he was waiting for more considering the way he tapped his foot impatiently.

"Sorry for doing what exactly?! It's still incoherent in my brain," he said after a long moment of staring.

Stella let out a frustrated sigh. Was he that slow that he can't comprehend anything?

"Fine! I'm sorry for being a wimp!"

...

 _Ugh, this silence is killing me,_ she glumly thought.

...

She took another deep breath. "I'm sorry for running off! I'm sorry for avoiding this subject altogether! I'm sorry for-"

"Why did you run away?" he asked breaking off her little rant.

"Huh?" she asked surprised that he actually uttered something.

"Why did you run away?" he repeated. His voice grew softer although his eyes burned with the same fire.

Stella's voice fell. She honestly didn't really have an explanation for that. _Well, no._ She did, but she was too embarrassed to say the actual reason.

...

This time, she was the one who was silent.

...

He exhaled a long sigh. And suddenly, he turned on his heel and started storming down the sidewalk in his socks. Her eyes widened as she started to follow him. She wobbled to him as best as she could but these big-foot shoes looked and felt utterly ridiculous on her.

"Brandon, stop! Oh for Pete's sake-!"

He stopped all of a sudden and Stella instantly crashed to his back. He turned around again and captured her with his beautiful, dark brown eyes. His jaw clenched, making him seem even more handsome, if that's possible. She just wanted him to kiss her senseless right now.

 _The thoughts you're having are highly inappropriate in this situation, Stel!_ Stella shook her head trying to clear her head.

"How many times?! How many times did that happen?!" he yelled.

...

Stella stared dumbly at the ground.

"HOW MANY TIMES, STELLA?!" he growled as he shook her by the shoulders.

"Um...three," she said in a small voice hoping he can't hear it.

"Four." He said as he nodded towards her house which was surprisingly still in view.

She nodded in understanding. "Why are you ignoring me?" she asked him a second later.

He raised an eyebrow before huffing angrily "Seriously? _Are you effing serious?!_ I kissed you four times, Stella! You don't even pull away or tell me to stop. Instead, you kiss me back _every single time_. Then you bolt. Give me one reason why I shouldn't ignore you again. I'm done. I'm done with your shit."

He turned around and started to walk away. Stella's brown eyes welled up. No, he _can't_ say that to her! _Not to her!_ They've been best friends since grade school and he can't break their friendship with an _'I'm done with your shit'_ statement. She understood his point of view but she was unable to voice hers.

She took a step but the stupid freaking shoes kept weighing her down. With a distressed sigh, she stepped out of them and ran to him again. Her feet pricked with the cold flooring, but she didn't care. She can't lose this guy. This is too important. _He is too important._

She panted a little as she stopped him again. She blocked him by standing in front of him. "Please, I'm sorry," she choked. He stared at her for a long time. With a frustrated sigh, he ran a hand through his rich, brown locks. His broad shoulders were stiff and he gave no signs of relaxing any time soon.

"I...I was scared, okay?" she said in a small voice. "I'm scared and shocked that...someone like you...would want someone like me."

He crossed his arms. "Someone like me? Jeez, why don't you enlighten me, Stella? What did you think someone like me would want?"

"...someone with more class?" she guessed with a shrug of her shoulders. She honestly didn't expect him to say anything.

Brandon struggled to keep up his glare, but she was just too adorable. Well, at least she knew that she doesn't have class. She's clumsy and she is an arrant idiot for thinking that he wouldn't ever be interested in her.

"And...I was scared because I've never been in a relationship before."

"Yes, I know," he snapped. She glared at his snippy tone. Yeah, of course he knew. He was, _hopefully still is,_ her best friend. There wasn't any aspect of her life that he didn't trespass on so far.

"Well, I'm not your material, thank you very much!" Stella snapped back tired of his stupid attitude.

"What the hell is _my_ material?!" he asked frustrated.

She shrugged and said nothing.

"You piss me off enough to want to kill you right now," he growled.

She smiled. "You're such a charmer."

He muttered something under his breath about her being such a dense idiot.

Stella squeaked when she felt an arm lash around her waist. She blushed a crimson red instantly when she felt herself crashing into his chest. She felt him raise her slightly. In a moment, Stella felt her feet land on something warm. Warmer than the frigid ground at least.

"You have the worst timing for wearing shorts," he smirked as he gave her a once-over. Stella blushed when she saw that she was standing on his feet. Isn't she heavy? She ate like a pig. On the bright side, he was no longer angry! _Yay!_ Stella did a victory dance in her mind. In reality, she kind of didn't have room to do anything but stare at him like a blushing buffoon.

"Run away this time and I'll chase you no matter how far you go," he said in a husky voice making her mouth go dry. He brought his forehead down on hers and closed his eyes. He relished her presence for a few moments before descending down and crashing his lips to hers.

...

* * *

 **So...I hope you enjoyed that XO.**

 **If not, well...** _ **I'll delete it soon xD**_


	4. A Rainy Night

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **Note: I wrote this oneshot too before in another series. Ugh I just feel pathetic that I'm republishing all of my stories on different series, but I just felt that this scenario would suit SXB as well!**

 **I initially wrote this to apologize to a dear friend of mine. She's a fantastic author on FanFiction and knowingly or unknowingly, I hurt her deeply. So this was written for her.**

 **I edited this fic and made improvements by taking care of typos, silly grammar mistakes, etc., and also by adding some more story to it.**

 _ **Song used: Sorry by Justin Bieber**_

 _ **...Some verses are omitted.**_

* * *

 ** _"You gotta go and get angry at all of my honesty,"_**

 ** _"You know I try but I don't do too well with apologies,"_**

 ** _"I hope I don't run out of time, could someone call a referee?"_**

 ** _"Cause I just need one more shot at forgiveness."_**

I took a deep breath ignoring the lump in my throat growing bigger. I cast my eyes down, trying my best to mask the tears pooling in my eyes. There used to be a time when I was happy. I was never a depressed girl to begin with. But now, it seems as if I'm cursed to carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. I can _never_ live this down. I can never move forward. Even if some fortunate day I do move on from this, I'll never forget the pain I caused _him_.

 ** _"I know you know that I made those mistakes maybe once or twice,"_**

 ** _"By once or twice I mean maybe a couple a hundred times,"_**

I'll never have someone who can understand me the way he did. He was more than just a best friend. He's someone I told everything to. He's someone I shared years of my life with. He showed me an undying compassion and unconditional love, definitely a lot more than I deserve. We had our relapses, we had our fights, and we even had our temporary weak moments. _But...he was with me even during all of them._

But, I hurt _him_. Whether it was intentional or unintentional, I hurt _him_. I hurt someone I truly cherished and that guilt only ate my being away slowly and painfully each day.

 ** _"So let me, oh let me redeem, oh redeem, oh myself tonight,"_**

 ** _"Cause I just need one more shot at second chances."_**

Another tear fell from my eyes. I'm never the type to cry, but hey. There's a first time for everything. I continued walking down the wet streets. Nothing could be heard except for the harsh pitter patter of the rain and car honks. But I didn't pay any attention to any of this. I was still lost in my memories. The memories that plagued me every day through nightmares.

Who can I cry to when times are tough? Or when life becomes too hard to bear? I never took him for granted. _Not ever._ I considered him a blessing in my life. So why did I hurt him even while seeing him that way? He spent so much time with me. He listened to all of my silly drabbles even though he's a busy person. He sang sweet lullabies to me whenever I can't sleep. He kissed me my tears away each time I had a nightmare. I never thanked him enough and he never asked for it either. I don't even have a right to say his name anymore. It's just too painful to say it.

Even though we do "talk" every now and then, it's not the same anymore. The bond I shared with him is broken. And it's my fault. As if that wasn't enough, a series of misunderstandings shifted us apart even more.

 ** _"Yeah, is it too late now to say sorry?"_**

 ** _"Cause I'm missing more than just your body"_**

 ** _"Is it too late now to say sorry?"_**

 ** _"Yeah I know that I let you down"_**

 ** _"Is it too late to say I'm sorry now?"_**

My brisk walk fell down a few paces. Why even bother hurrying up when there's nothing waiting for you at the end? Every time I wake up, I'm reminded that I'm alone. _That I lost my best friend._

I wish I can have him back. I wish I can talk to him again. Every day, I hide behind a blatant fake smile. Every night, I reminisce what we once had. But there is no 'we' anymore. It's just a lost artifact now. I pray that someday, he can find it in his heart to forgive me and see that I still miss him a lot. I wish he gave me another shot at redemption because I don't think I can keep this inside for much longer.

I never dreamed that days like these will come. _Days where I have to grieve over the loss of someone who's still very much alive._

 ** _"I'll take every single piece of the blame if you want me to"_**

 ** _"Can we both say the words and forget this?"_**

What more should I do? How many times should I apologize? How many days should I wait for him? How many times do I have to cry over trying to convince myself that everything will okay eventually? How many times should I run to my phone falsely hoping that it'll be him on the other line?

Tears flowed from my eyes faster. This emotional turmoil inside of me only raged hotter everyday. I tried to keep myself occupied by doing the things that I love, but even those things seem so meaningless and futile. I'm reminded of him _again._ I'm reminded of the times he actually spoke to me with ease, warmth, and...love. Those are just words in a dictionary now.

 ** _"Is it too late now to say sorry?"_**

 ** _"Cause I'm missing more than just your body"_**

 ** _"Is it too late now to say sorry?"_**

 ** _"Yeah I know that I let you down"_**

 ** _"Is it too late to say I'm sorry now?"_**

I ignored the concerned and sympathetic glances I received from the passers-by. I pulled my hoodie over my head. I placed my hands inside the pockets of the sweater not that it made much of a difference since I was drenched completely from top to bottom. I don't want sympathy. I just want him back.

Sometimes you'll never know the value of a moment until it becomes nothing but a distant memory. When I first saw him, I had no idea he would become someone so influential and important to me. But he proved me wrong and quickly climbed the ladder into my heart effortlessly. He became a significant part in my life. And now that I look back, I see him in every frame and moment of my life. He shaped into the person I became today.

A few months ago, I had the confidence to text him at four in the morning. But today, I don't even know how to say 'hello' to him.

 ** _"I'm sorry, yeah sorry, oh sorry"_**

 ** _"Yeah I know that I let you down"_**

 ** _"Is it too late to say I'm sorry now?"_**

 ** _"I'm sorry, yeah sorry, oh sorry"_**

 ** _"Yeah I know that I let you down"_**

Is it really over? Did I really lose him? If so, then no one's ever hated me more than myself.

First, I say something that I don't even mean.

Then things just fell out of control.

... _That's all it took for my world to fall apart._ Words sprewed out in anger caused me to lose him possibly forever. He never imagined that I would be the one to hurt him that deeply. I cut him so deeply that...for a second, he didn't believe that I was capable of saying such vile things.

Misunderstandings upon misunderstandings grew. Trust, faith, truth, hope, and reliability just became words in a dictionary with no true meaning.

I wiped away the tears even though I knew more would be streaming down any second.

 ** _"Is it too late to say I'm sorry now?"_**

I ignored the fat lump growing inside my throat once again. I was probably drenched from head to toe, but I didn't care.

The adage that goes like "You don't know the value of something until you lose it" is so true. Now fate is screwing with me in the worst way possible. I just want to be held by him again and wake up as if the past few weeks never even happened.

I looked up slowly to see the streets a little emptier than they were an hour ago. The rain is crazy tonight and the visibility was a little too low for comfort. I oddly sought comfort in this rain. It reminded me of _him_ again. Our first kiss had been during a downpour. Even our first Valentine's day was ruined when it rained out of nowhere and ruined my dress that I wore _especially_ for him. I was literally in dumps for a measly dress but he cheered me up assuring me that I was always beautiful to him.

My heart hurt even more when I realized that I'm standing at the very place where we created so many memories together. _The Gardenia Park..._

All of them resulted in us being drenched at the end of the day. I loved this rain but I also hated it at the same time. A flicker of light still remained in my heart that maybe...he'll forgive me one day. That _I'll see him again._ _God...What did I do...?_

 ** _"I'll take every single piece of the blame if you want me to"_**

 ** _"Can we both say the words and forget this?"_**

I struggled not to break down. The park was nearly desolated so there'd be no one to hear me sob anyway. But why am I holding back? Because...if I let go, then it means that I'm accepting the fact that he'll never return to me. That...I'm alone...

Tears leaked out of my eyes. I don't know what to do now.

 _"Hey, sunshine."_

I suddenly stopped in my tracks. My eyes widened as I frantically looked around. Am I imagining things? It could very well be so considering the heartbreak I'm feeling right now. More tears streamed down my face when I realized that the voice was nothing more than an imagination.

"A figment of my grief...," I whispered to myself painfully.

"Not really."

I stopped in my tracks again. That voice...

It was so clear and so near.

My eyes widened again as I turned around suddenly. I covered my mouth in shock when I saw _him_ standing in front of me. _Is it really him...?_ I wondered as I raised a finger to touch him. He's standing there smiling at me with the same love like he always did. He wore a black jacket with jeans while holding an umbrella. I suddenly withdrew my hand. What if he's not real? I just stood there staring dumbly at him.

A soft smile played on his lips. I gasped when he reached to wrap his hand around my wrist. He slowly moved my wrist upwards towards his face and placed my palm over his cheek. He's here. He's not a figment of my imagination! _He's actually here!_ I let out a choked sob as I realized how much I missed him.

"I'm sorry!" I wailed as I pounced on him and wrapped my arms around his torso. I hung onto him for dear life. I sobbed into his chest. "Please forgive me! I miss you so much!" My cries only grew harder as I stood in his arms.

He slowly let the umbrella go. I only buried myself deeper into his jacket when I felt his arms wrap themselves around me. It has been so long... _so so long._

"I miss you!" I repeated mercilessly again. _If only he knew._

"I know, baby. I know," he whispered in my ear as he clutched me tightly to his frame.

"I'm sorry!" I sobbed into his jacket. It was freezing cold, but he radiated off volumes of warmth. Warmth that I missed and cherished so so much.

"I know you are," he pulled me back just slightly allowing me to drown in his brownish black orbs. "I missed you too," he smiled. He caressed my cheek. "But you can make up for the damage you caused," he smirked.

I stood there dumbfounded. Huh?

He wrapped an arm tightly around my waist and drew me closer. I sooooo wasn't complaining but the look in his eyes was different. There was no hurt or anything like that. He's pretending as if our huge fight didn't even happen at all.

"Stella Solaria..." he whispered huskily sending shivers down my spine. "Will you marry me?"

My eyes widened to the point of nearly popping out of their sockets. That sentence is not usually what people say when they make up after a bad breakup.

"W-what?" I stuttered.

"Marry me," he demanded as his eyes grew darker.

"But I hurt you so much..." my voice cracked as tears flowed down my cheeks, disappearing in the pouring rain.

He smirked. "Then pay the price by marrying me." His eyes turned serious again. "Stella...I love you, baby. I love you so much. Will you be my wife?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes!" My lips automatically burst into a wide grin. "Is bending on one knee and asking you to propose the normal way too much to ask?" I smiled. My wounds and heartbreak started to heal instantly.

"I'm not a normal man," he whispered. "If I was, then I wouldn't be so lucky to have you."

My eyes watered at those heartwarming words. Before I could say anything, his lips encased mine.

 _Our first kiss..._

 _Our first dance..._

 _Our first date..._

 _Our first stroll..._

 _And..._

 _Our first kiss as an engaged couple..._

All under a raging thunderstorm.

* * *

 **So...**

 **...Opinions are appreciated.**

 **Thank you for reading :)**


	5. Sick Day?

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **First of all, thank you so much for the reviews :)**

 **Second, I dedicate this chapter to ALL of you as always but ESPECIALLY to one person:**

 **Dear crazyfangal42,**

 **(So sorry if I was late. I tried my best to post this on your birthday!) Many many many happy returns of the day! May you keep forever smiling with happiness :) I hope this one-shot brought at least a teeny bit of happiness to your face :)**

 _ **Stay beautiful always!**_

 _ **P.S. Sorry I couldn't update Shattered Heart (it's not done yet :o)**_

* * *

Stella Eraklyon's eyes softened as she watched him cough. She gently brushed his hair out of his eyes. But the strands swung back over to his forehead just like they always did. "Here," she offered him a glass of water. He took it and finished it with one gulp. He placed the empty glass on the nightstand beside him.

He fell back on the bed with a flop. With a low groan, he placed his arm over his eyes.

"Do you need anything?" Stella sat beside him helplessly. She frowned as she watched her husband, Brandon Eraklyon, shift slightly in discomfort.

He opened his eyes a little droopily. Smiling slightly, he placed a gentle palm over her cheek. She leaned further into his touch until he pulled her on top of him.

"You can stop acting like I'm a full-fledged patient," he smirked. His strong masculine voice made Stella blush endearingly. She straightened herself on top of him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "You've been stuck with the flu for a few days now," she frowned. "And you still don't want to go to the doctor?" she asked as she tapped his nose with her index finger.

He remained silent as he simply lay there watching her. Her big brown eyes were filled with so much concern that it made his heart soar with warmth. She lay her head on his chest and grew comfortable in his embrace. "You'll be sick if you do that," he whispered but choosing not to let her go.

"Then you'll take care of me," she murmured.

He smiled weakly. He closed his eyes feeling fatigue and exhaustion overcome him.

"Brand...?" Stella whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Please don't ever leave me," the blonde spoke in a small voice while hugging him.

He chuckled. "I can't do that even if I want to. I'm sick and you're well...you're doing a pretty good job of restraining me," he smirked making her blush a deep red. She slapped his chest with a firm glare. He looked downright mock-insulted. "Haven't I suffered enough abuse already?" he sighed while dramatically clutching his heart.

Stella shook her head smiling at his antics. "I need to go do laundry."

"Just don't burn down the house, alright?" he smirked.

She glared. "I set off a smoke alarm once and the name sticks for the rest of my life?"

"You kinda did endanger my precious life, you know," he smirked.

"Dude, you weren't even in the house at that time!" Stella scoffed. He was at work that time. She left the dryer for way too long until wisps of smoke started to emit from that thing, making the smoke alarm go off maniacally.

"That's my point," he murmured, softly tracing her lower lip with his thumb. Her eyes widened as she found herself blushing _again._ She bent and kissed him softly, pouring all of her love for him. He responded back just as eagerly.

Stella pulled away first, leaving him to frown. That was too short for his liking.

"Be back in a few," she smiled as she rolled off him. Brandon fondly watched her as she let down her high ponytail. Her long hair fell just a little past her waist in thick, lustrious waves as she shook it loose. He kept his eyes trained towards her frame. He didn't even know he was capable of this kind of feeling.

Everything Stella did, no matter how small, blew his breath away. He didn't even know he was capable of loving a woman in such a way. What he and Stella shared was beyond beautiful and so full of life. He watched her leave the room but not before throwing him a dazzling smile.

His lips automatically upturned and he found himself grinning like a complete moron. He fell back on the bed and closed his eyes.

He remembered the first time he saw her. It was nearly ten years ago.

 _Wow...it's been almost a decade,_ he thought amazed. But the love he felt for her never wavered. _Not once._ It only grew deeper and stronger each day.

"Daddy?"

The small voice of a child pulled him out of his thoughts. His eyes snapped open as he saw his little girl hovering near the bed. She clutched a little teddy bear and looked a little scared. Brandon sat up instantly and picked her up into his arms.

"What's wrong, princess?" Brandon smiled at his three-year old daughter who shivered a little.

He covered them both with a duvet laying on the bed. "What are you doing out of bed? You should be sleeping right now," he chided her gently.

"I had a bad dream," the little girl spoke. "You and mom were fighting."

His eyes widened. "Gwen, it's just a bad dream. You've been eating way too much junk food, little lady."

The toddler frowned. "I heard you two shouting at each other yesterday."

He ruffled her short dark brown hair. "We weren't fighting, princess. I love your mom and I love you. Happy now?"

Gwen's smile was infectious. Brandon softly kissed his little girl's forehead.

"Head back to bed, okay?"

"Can I sleep here, daddy?"

He frowned. "Daddy is sick, sweetheart. I don't want you to catch it."

"Pleaasssssssseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee?" Gwen bounced up and down in his lap.

* * *

Stella threw the last load in the dryer and set the timer for thirty minutes. She folded the freshly warm clothes in the tub.

She hummed along to one of her favorites as she rapidly stacked folded clothes into a neat pile. She blushed when she realized why she was in a hurry. She just wanted to go back into his arms again and forget the rest of the world.

His gentle, loving eyes...

His smile...

His laugh...

 _His smirk..._

God, that _smirk._ She just found that to be extremely attractive on him. A few shivers ran down her spine as her toes curled inwards. Her lips burst with joy as she realized how _truly_ happy she is. Her marriage life was nothing but a silent bliss.

Stella didn't regret the choice she made five years ago. At twenty one, she left Alfea. _She truly left Alfea._ Her home for six years.

After the whole battle with Tritannus and the battles to save the Infinite Oceans, Brandon changed. After he learned that Stella nearly died trying to restore the Pillar of Light, he went nuts.*** It was then that he decided that he's had enough. He never acknowledged the danger they experienced during missions, but when Stella was badly hurt and weakened...it opened his eyes. And he never wanted to see the day where she's seriously hurt.

Stella's eyes shimmered slightly when she thought back to the night.

 _The night he proposed to her._

He told her that he didn't want anything else in life but her.

 _"I'm enjoying this stroll very much. We needed a good stroll," Stella grinned as she walked hand-in-hand through the forest with her boyfriend. Brandon smiled before suddenly stopping._

 _Stella stopped and looked at him in confusion. "Hello? Why'd we stop?"_

 _He chuckled and pulled her closer. He rested his forehead against hers, making her blush endearingly at the sudden proximity. "Because you're too far away for my liking," he winked._

 _"You flirt," she blushed._

 _"I love you too, sunshine," he smiled against her lips. Stella felt her heart soar. What did she do to deserve this wonderful man?_

 _"I have something to ask you though," he said with a hint of seriousness in his tone._

 _Stella nodded. He let her go and took a deep breath._

 _"I know this is nothing special, but I couldn't wait anymore." He bent on one knee making her hazel eyes widen. Stella covered her mouth in shock._

 _"Stel...when I first met you, you were the most beautiful girl I ever laid my eyes on. Each moment I spent with you only made me fall in love with you more and more," he admitted sincerely._

 _Stella felt her eyes glisten as tears fell down her cheeks._

 _"I can't believe it took me two years to ask this, but...Stella Solaria, will you marry me?" he asked as he took a diamond cut platinum ring._

 _Stella let out a small choked sob._

 _Before he could comprehend what was going on, he felt himself being tackled to the forest floor. "Yes! Thousand times yes!" she cried as she lay on top on him. She let out another sob._

 _"Don't cry, baby," he whispered as he softly kissed her tears away._

 _"You just made me the happiest girl alive," she murmured in disbelief as he put on the ring on her finger. It was beautiful. It was a simple cut diamond ring. It wasn't gaudy; it was an elegant one, just the way Stella liked it. Brandon definitely had a good taste in jewellry._

 _"You just made me the happiest man alive," he quoted her back as he captured her lips._

A tear fell down her cheek as Stella thought about the past. When she told her friends that he proposed to her...they couldn't be any happier. She also regretfully informed that she wanted a start a new life. _That she was done getting involved in dangerous missions._

They understood, of course. But Stella did promise to be there for everyone if they need her. Brandon had taken the same decision.

And they never once looked back into their old lives.

Stella smiled as she looked around her home. She quit her job once Gwen was born. She wanted to be there for her daughter each and every moment. Her parents neglected a lot of her childhood and she didn't want to set that example for her baby. Brandon worked as a senior specialist trainer in Red Fountain, which of course was more than enough to lead a comfortable life.

She sighed with bliss as she folded the last article of clothing.

Stretching slightly, she slowly went back to their room. The hallway leading to their room was filled with pictures.

 _Their engagement..._

 _Their wedding..._

 _Gwen's birth..._

 _Pictures of them as a family..._

A tear flowed down her cheek. The only regret she had was that she only wished Brandon had proposed sooner because she'd have gladly given all of those years up for him. When she entered the bedroom, her heart warmed with pride and love.

Brandon lay fast asleep and Gwen, her beautiful baby, slept to his side with content with his arm wrapped around her. Stella took out her phone and clicked a picture at that sight. _She loved her life._

Sniffling a little, she quietly tiptoed to the bed. She slipped in on the other side of Brandon. She kissed her daughter's forehead before moving to kiss her husband. She smiled before sliding down in his arms. She wrapped her arms around him and laid her head on his chest.

Brandon's eyes fluttered when he felt a light pressure on his lips. His eyes opened all the way as he watched her lay against him tightly. With a smile, he wrapped his other arm around her and watched as Stella smiled at that.

"Sleepy?" he asked quietly.

She nodded while yawning a little.

"Sleep all you want," he started making her turn to him. He smirked as he pulled her closer. "Once I'm done with the flu, you'll find yourself wishing for nights where I'll actually let you sleep."

Stella blushed a deep hue of crimson red before hitting his shoulder. "Gwen's right there!" she hissed while trying miserably to control her furious blush. "Jerk," she mumbled before resting peacefully against him. She smiled, however, a few moments later and melted into a puddle of mush in his arms.

Despite his tiredness, he couldn't help the grin that made itself onto his face.

His eyes darted between his wife and daughter before they slowly fluttered close. _I love my girls._

* * *

***Stella did _not_ nearly die during the Pillar of Light episode. It was just something I made up to fit this story xD

 **So...I hope you guys enjoyed it.**

 **Heh. Once again, happy birthday (or belated) to crazyfangal42!**


	6. A Rebound

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

* * *

Stella Solaria stood there blinking in _shock._ Actually, that would be one of the heaviest understatements of the year.

If her jaw wasn't attached to her face, it'd probably roll off to the floor. Her eyes blinked with surprise as she stood there dumbfound with betrayal and hurt coursing through her shaking body. Tears brimmed her honey-colored eyes and it didn't take long for them to cascade down her cheeks.

She wondered if this is what feels like the heartbreak they portray in movies and plays like _Titanic_ and _Romeo and Juliet._ If this is what feels like to just... _die._ Her golden brown irises watched unblinkingly as hurt and confusion overshadowed the happiness that had been there just a few moments ago. Her stomach churned as her gaze never faltered no matter how much she wished to avert away.

She stood at the bedroom's doorway gazing painfully at the scene before her. On the king-sized bed in front of her, two naked bodies writhed in ecstasy - heaving and moaning in pleasure and sweat. She stood there as her feet implanted themselves into the floor. The male's face, precisely her _boyfriend's,_ swam in her thoughts. _Jason Sinclair..._

Her boyfriend, sorry scratch that, _ex-boyfriend_ of two years. He ravished the woman underneath him as she moaned loudly.

Stella let out a choked sob, unable to contain it.

Jason's eyes snapped open and he let out a sharp groan. With widened eyes, he quickly covered them both with the white pristine covers underneath them. Thank God for that.

"Stella, you're back!" he screamed, his voice still thickly accentuated with that passion and disbelieving shock. She glanced at the woman or rather, _slut_ in her opinion, who was giving her the smug look. _Mitzi McCall..._ a cheerleader bimbo who has probably screwed every man in this city.

"Babe, it's not what it looks like-"

 _The classic excuse. ALWAYS. Every_ cheating scumbag have said those words trying to defend his jerk face.

As the shock slowly wore off, her jaw clenched with anger. She's not one to take crap from others even if it's from her ex. No. Stella Solaria _does and will not_ entertain bullshit.

And right now, her bullshit radar is going off.

"Not what it looks like?! You're screwing that _pathetic bitch_ right under my nose this whole time!" She yelled.

Mitzi shamelessly kissed his exposed chest in front of her while smiling at her discreetly. Stella tried to control another sob. Her anger faded away as tears furiously streamed down her face.

Without another word, she turned on her heels and raced out of the house and into the pouring rain outside, ignoring her name being called by Jason.

* * *

 _ **One Hour Later...**_

She sat against the hard brick wall and cried her heart out. The sky roared with thunder up above, but it was nothing compared to the raging storm in her heart. She was drenched and wet, which only added further to her misery. She hid herself in the dark alley way of a random street as she sobbed.

She didn't want pity from anyone. She wanted peace. She wanted to free herself of this burden. How could she have _not_ seen it all these months?! During the past one hour, Jason admitted everything. He has been cheating on her for the past five months. The mere thought of her kissing him while he screwed another female _disgusted_ her.

She let out another anguished cry. She picked up a rock lying calmly beside her and forcefully threw it across the side of the brick buildings in anger. She put her head between her knees as she sobbed. Her voice soon turned hoarse and breakable. She probably looked like a mess in this rain.

This isn't her. She wasn't supposed to feel these feelings.

 _Hesitance._

 _Fear._

 _Betrayal._

 _Hurt._

But most of all... _broken._

She picked herself up because she could feel this practically eating her being away. No matter how much she tried, her tears became hotter as they fell. She cried into her hands not knowing what else to do. _How could he do that to her?!_

* * *

Stella found herself looking around as she walked through the familiar street. She hugged herself at the freezing cold rain. She always hated the cold, but right now, it didn't bother her that much. She was glad, for once, that she found something to occupy herself with. Her sundress hugged her figure almost tightly, clinging to her like a second skin.

Her lips quivered as she tried not to break down again. Not in the middle of a very public street. Tears blurred her vision, but they were lost somewhere amidst in the thick rain. Pedestrians passed by her in a hurry, trying to find the nearest shelter as soon as possible. It wasn't raining an hour or so ago, so she had walked to Jason's house. And now, she _refused_ to head to her own house.

All she would be greeted by is cold and dark walls with a deafening silence. Stella hiccuped as more tears flowed down her cheeks. Some of the onlookers and passerbys gazed at her with concern and sympathy, but it was soon overshadowed by their own problems.

Stella looked up as she found herself stopping in front of a very familiar house. Crying, she rushed up the steps and rang the doorbell incessantly. She needed someone to console her right now. She needed someone to vent out her frustrations to. She needed... _ **him.**_

 _Her best friend._ Her one and only best friend in this whole wide world. Okay, that was a little cheesy, but he's the one person that she trusted the most in her life.

 _Please open..._ she heartbrokenly chanted and prayed for him to be at home. Her prayers were quickly answered and the door soon opened, revealing a tall, muscular brunette.

"Well, you look like shit just rained on you," Brandon Shields smirked. His expression softened when she looked nearly fragile and so innocently vulnerable. But what troubled him the most was the hopelessness and fear in her brown eyes.

Without a delay, Stella flung her arms around him and started to sob. A fresh wave of pain hit her. Brandon's eyes widened as he wrapped his arms around her in concern.

"Who is it?!" a female yelled from behind making Stella stiffen instantly. She turned to the source of the new voice. Stella let go of Brandon and stepped back slightly when she saw Chimera Smith waltzing from the living room. _Ugh._ Talk about another _bitch_ from her life.

Stella blinked as her eyes darted from Brandon to Chimera back and forth. The blonde looked at the new intruder with disgust. Chimera's dress was too tight and her skirt was clearly hitched up a few inches. Stella's eyes gazed up at Brandon again. She took a good look at him. He wore a black collared shirt with jeans. A top two buttons of his shirt were undone, teasing a hint of a broad chest.

 _Oh._

Stella bit her lip. Clearly she was interrupting something. "I p-p-probably should go," she choked out. She turned out but a hand grasped her wrist firmly. Brandon turned her and he tugged her back to his arms.

He hugged her tightly. Chimera gazed at the two with a burning abhorance. For real?! Were they really going to ignore her presence now?!

"Go inside and freshen up, alright?" he murmured in Stella's ear. She nodded and walked inside, oblivious to Chimera's death glare.

Brandon watched as she went inside and up the stairs to his room before turning his attention to Chimera. "I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"

The raven-haired girl's eyes widened. "But it's raining outside!" Chimera sultrily walked up to him and coiled an arm around his. "Surely I can stay longer...can't I?" she flirted while twirling her black hair loosely around her fingers with perfectly manicured nails.

Stella peeked from his room and silently watched the exchange. She turned around before Brandon responded and silently closed the door behind her. Chimera had been crushing on him for _months_ and she probably asked him out. And...it clearly escalated into another level considering her indecency towards her _'perfect man'_.

Stella felt more tears fall from her eyes as she remembered her 'perfect man'. Or so she thought. Jason had been so perfect for her. She thought that he had been 'The One'. _Cliche,_ but true. She actually thought that they were going to last.

Trying to suppress her pain, she walked towards the drawers. Her vision blurred as she scoured around for her clothes. Brandon's been her best friend since forever and their parents trusted them both enough to let them sleepover at each other's place. She took a new set of innerwear and some pajamas and walked to the bathroom.

Stella didn't even bother locking the door behind her. She didn't have to. She stripped down and climbed into the shower. She set the shower to maximal heat and moaned slightly as the hot water loosened up her stiff and frozen muscles.

* * *

Stella threw her wet clothes into the laundry before moving to exit out of the room. She stopped when she saw Brandon's black sweater hanging on the back of the door. She took it from the hanger before marching down the stairs.

The hot shower felt so pleasant, but it did nothing to appease her wild imagination. She bit back another sob as she imagined Jason having sex with Mitzi. They were probably going at it again as soon as she had left the place.

Trying to forget her pain, she looked around the living room only to find the place empty. "Brandon?" she called out. She scratched her head in confusion when she didn't hear any response. Her attention was diverted when she heard the front door unlock. She looked up to see Brandon entering and locking the door behind him.

His hair, some parts of his shirt, and jeans were wet. He glanced up at her and gave her a short smile before ruffling his hair to get the excess water out. "It sure is pouring out there," he stated while removing his shoes. Tossing them aside, he came up to her.

"Give me a second, okay?"

She nodded as he watched him march up the stairs taking two at a time. Meanwhile, she hugged herself and smiled when the sweater she wore radiated heat. _Heat that she craved._

She hopped to the living room again and flopped onto the leather couches. She put her legs up and placed her head on it. Her lips started to quiver as she relived today's episode _again_ for the thousandth time today. No matter how many times she tried to, she couldn't do it. She was unable to forget that she practically walked in on such an intimate moment. A tear rolled down her cheek. Another sob escaped her throat as her body started to violently shake.

When she heard Brandon's footsteps, she tried to mask her pained face, but she wasn't fooling anyone. Brandon's jaw clenched and his face hardened as he heard her cry. He quickly hopped down the stairs and into the living room where she was busy brushing the tears away from her face using the sleeve of his sweater. The sweater went way past her thighs and touched her knees.

He rushed to her aid and sat beside her. "Hey, airhead," he spoke softly. Stella probably would've glared if anyone even _dared_ to call her that, but hearing something like that from him was just a form of affection in her eyes.

A lump formed in her throat as she pulled her knees closer to her chest. Her eyes shimmered with freshly brewed tears. Another sob escaped her lips even though she tried to hide it. _Who the hell is she fooling?!_ Brandon wrapped his arms around her fragile frame and that was all it took for her walls to come crashing down. She threw her arms around him and cried into his shirt.

"Shhh, it'll be okay," he whispered against her hair.

"No, it won't!" she started to bawl all over again. "You don't even know why I'm here, so how can you say that?!" she cried as she punched him. His breath was knocked off of him, but only for a split second. She kept hurling punches at him out of pain. _And he let her._ She pictured that it was Jason sitting in front of her instead of her best friend.

Her arms soon grew tired, but the tears didn't cease. "Why aren't you asking what's wrong?! I hate you!" she screamed, slowly losing whatever sanity she had left.

Brandon's eyes flared as he clenched his fist. "Airhead, stop," he warned lowly as he grasped both of her flying fists in his hand. She squirmed and tried to free herself to continue hitting him when he tugged firmly on her body.

Stella continued to cry and his heart broke in agony at seeing her tear-stricken face. She never seemed so lost and so fragile to him. It seemed as if the whole weight of the world came crashing suddenly as she broke down.

"Why aren't you asking me what's wrong?!" she tried to hit him again as she cried into his shirt. Tears flowed down her cheeks rapidly.

 _Because I already know._ He wrapped an arm around her while another stroked her damp hair. "You can tell me yourself whenever you're ready," he shrugged. His jaw clenched as she cried. His eyes burned with a fire that screamed rage. _He knew._ He _knew_ the reason why she was crying. It was the same reason they've grown distant the past few months and barely spoke.

And now, she suddenly shows up at his doorstep looking like a lost puppy.

Just he because they were friends doesn't mean that he can forgive her for that. She can't expect that he'll forgive _that_ easily. She humiliated their friendship. The friendship that he treasured and cherished so much.

 _Jason._ That bastard ruined _everything._ When Brandon found out, he tried to break it to Stella in the nicest way possible. That Jason probably had eyes for someone else. She exploded right then and there and accused him of lying. He wondered how she will react if he had downright said the harsh truth. No amount of words summed to the amount of hurt he experienced at that moment. Hearing that, he had turned on his heel and simply left.

Now, he wished that he hadn't given up that easily. He wished that he showed her the proof that Jason's been cheating on her this whole time. She must've found out today. To say that he was surprised to see her at his doorstep was a heavy understatement.

His eyes softened when her sobs slowed to occasional sniffles. His arms pulled her protectively close to him and she buried her head further into his chest immediately. Her shoulders started to relax as she sunk deeper into the couch. She felt suddenly exhausted. He took a deep breath and decided to speak up, stopping her movements of playing with the buttons of his shirt.

"What happened?" he asked. _Even though he knew._

She averted her eyes but he wasn't the one to give up. He wanted to, no, _needed to_ hear from her. He needed to confirm so that he can go and make a bloody pulp out of Jason's face.

"He cheated on me," she said simply in a hoarse voice. "You were right," she whispered heartbrokenly as another tear fell from her eyes.

He stayed silent. "I told you so," he shrugged.

Stella felt a fresh wave of fatigue hit her as she remembered how she insulted him. How she accused him of lying and of being jealous that she has a boyfriend and he didn't have the significant other. And now...he's still clearly upset over that.

His voice was comforting, yet it was also distant and cold.

"I'm so sorry," she cried and lifted her head only to meet his chocolate brown eyes. The eyes that once used to be warm and loving were now aloof and so far away.

Brandon's eyes immensely softened at the visible heartbreak, marring her beautiful face. The more he gazed at her, the faster his anger started to dissolve. He smiled and wiped away the tears with his thumb. "I know you are," he replied as he wiped away the last of her tears. _Hopefully the last._

"I shouldn't have exploded on you like that..." she hiccuped.

He interrupted her having enough of the apology. "You didn't commit a sin, you stupid airhead. I have been and will always be there for you," he said. "Even if you do happen to appear on my doorstep after months of little to no contact," he smirked at the end.

She scowled. "That doesn't help, thank you very much." She scooted away slightly in embarrassment somehow suddenly aware of their closeness.

"You're probably laughing at me now...aren't you?" Stella asked sadly still looking away from him.

She sniffled when he turned her chin towards him with his finger. "Even if you happen to be the stupidest girl I've ever met...I'd never laugh at you. You know that," he said firmly.

"Still...you're probably think I'm overreacting."

"You were there for me when I got dumped," he smirked.

Stella rolled her eyes. "Isn't it the other way around? Diaspro cheated on you," she stated clearly remembering that day. Except...he never seemed so shaken by any breakup.

He shrugged. "Same thing."

"God...your last date was like five years ago," Stella's eyes widened at how quickly time flew by.

He smirked. "See? I've been single since high school and I think I'm doing pretty well."

He regretted his words immediately when she froze. Obviously, it's the wrong thing to say to a girl who just had a breakup an hour ago. Her eyes pooled with that look of hopelessness again.

She began to sit up but he forced her back against him.

"It hurts that badly?" he asked quietly while randomly twirling a few strands of her hair between his fingers. This look of sadness looked so out of place on her. He was used to her laughing her way through life that it pained him to watch her break out into a pool of hysteria.

He remembered the countless number of times he spied on their dates. Part of him wanted to make sure that Jason didn't try any funny business with Stella. The other part of him was because...he missed her. _He missed her so much._ He missed her sudden fits of temper, her laugh, the way her eyes twinkled at the sight of food, and everything about her.

After their fight a few months ago, they didn't spend much quality time together. To say that he missed her was a crazy understatement.

He didn't like Jason and that moron didn't like him either. So they were both perfectly happy with ignoring each other's presence. Had he known that she had spent the last one hour walking through the freezing rain and crying heartbroken, he definitely would've given that _moron_ a lesson he wouldn't forget in this lifetime.

She spoke up, pulling him back to reality. "I really thought that...we would...well..."

He remained silent. Every word she uttered about Jason pained him. She might as well drive a stake through his heart. The physical wound would probably cost him less pain.

She thought that Jason was good for her. She thought that good-for-nothing cheating _bastard_ was good for her. She thought that _he_ would give her a happy ending.

Brandon took a deep breath trying to calm himself. His grip on her tightened with a protective anger.

"I asked him to give me an explanation..." she continued. "He said that...I never gave him what he wanted. I never spent a night at his house."

Brandon's eyes widened. _Really?_ His eyes unconsciously lit up at that. _Well, that's good to know._

She sniffled. "He accused me, Brandon." She started to cry again. "He said that I'm a backstabbing witch. He suggested that we...we had something behind his back," she hiccuped.

Brandon's eyes narrowed into slits as he quietly listened. Brandon resisted the urge to storm outside and give that idiot a piece of his mind. _Just how dare he?!_ He just dumped the most precious girl on this planet for some _bimbo._

"Do all men think that?" she randomly whispered. "Is sex necessary to have any love between a couple?"

"No," he sharply answered without any hesitation in his rich voice. He cradled her form against him while she vented out.

He looked down at her and watched her quietly with intense emotions in his eyes. _I wish I can show you how much I love you,_ he smiled down at her and gazed at her with nothing but pure affection.

She, of course, was oblivious and continued her rants. His heart ached. While he _loathed_ Jason, it was clear the latter was an important figure in her life.

"At least you're not heartbroken over anyone..." Stella trailed off as she let out a small yawn.

He raised an eyebrow at her presumptiousness. _Not heartbroken?_ He scoffed. _Yeah right._ Only he knew how many sleepless nights he had because of _her._ Only he knew how many times he cried because of _her._ It was all because of _her._

"I'm scared, Brand..." she mumbled against his shirt.

"Scared of what, Stell?" he gently asked.

"I think I'll never find love again. I think I'll be a nun by the time I'm sixty, surrounded by cats," she rambled.

He chuckled. It shouldn't be funny, but it is. _She knew how to make even the most serious conversation light-hearted._

"You'll find someone, Stel," he softly assured her. "And he's going to shower you with nothing but love." _Like me._

Stella scoffed. "Is that what you kept telling yourself since high school?"

He rolled his eyes. He never had eyes for Diaspro. It was a fling and nothing more. She was just a ploy he used in order to make Stella jealous. Clearly... _it hadn't worked._

"Yes," he admitted without any shame. He knew what he wanted, so why bothering dating other girls?

"You're doomed to be alone then," she scoffed again.

"Then we'll be alone together," his words somehow turning into a husky whisper.

She punched him again, leaving him to glare. "I'm serious!" she whined as she pulled away from him. "I'm gonna be alone for life," she pouted as she punched his shoulder again.

He shook his head at her abusive nature. For a few moments, he took in her appearance. She looked absolutely ridiculous as she sat beside with a sweater that was at least ten sizes over. He eyed her face. How could anyone have the heart to hurt this angelic face? Her eyes entailed sadness, but there was also a twinkle present somewhere. He watched her bite her lip, a habit of hers whenever she's nervous or deep in thought.

"How about I make you a promise?" he smirked keeping his eyes trained on her.

He stood up and gave her his hand. She took it in confusion and stood up as well.

"What promise?" she asked, her eyes slightly narrowing wondering what the heck he was up to now.

He resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her innocence. It was endearing most of the time, but sometimes...it was just frustrating and irritating. Otherwise, she would've picked up on _at least_ a hint of his feelings towards her.

"I promise you'll never be alone," he smiled.

She scoffed. "For real? Great. Thank you. Thank you for that," she said sarcastically.

He tapped her temple sharply and she winced. "Excuse you, what was that for?" she mumbled rubbing her forehead.

He rubbed his chin in thought. "I bet you'll find your perfect someone in say...two years."

Her eyes widened. "Excuse me?! Two years is too short to settle down! Besides, what if I don't find that someone in two years?" she ridiculed.

He looked her dead in the eyes while she tapped her foot impatiently.

"I'll marry you."

Stella's eyes widened. Before she could comprehend anything, Brandon grabbed her and instantly swooped in to capture her lips with his in a dominating kiss. Stella moaned in surprise as his hand travelled to the nape of her neck while an arm snaked around her waist, crushing her against him.

He pulled away after a few moments but still refused to let her go. Her eyes were wide and her face devoid of any emotion while she stood there staring blankly at him.

He stroked her cheek lovingly. "I'll marry you," he repeated while descending his forehead down to hers. "I'll marry you a hundred times," he whispered, his lips barely an inch away from her trembling ones.

"..." Stella stared at Brandon quietly. The man she's known for over two decades...the man she thought was her best friend...

He just admitted to... _loving her?_

He pulled back a few inches and kissed her forehead. "I don't care if you reject me, but...I'll always be here, sunshine," he spoke sincerely as he gently placed her head on his chest.

"...what about Chimera?" Stella asked timidly.

His chest rumbled with laughter. "She asked me to help her with her homework."

"...oh. I'm pretty she wasn't psyched that I came by..."

"Stell...nothing was happening between her and me when you showed up. She made a few advances, I won't lie about that, but nothing happened. I swear," he kissed her temple.

 _Oh._ Stella hugged him back quietly as tears fell down her face again. "What should I do now...?" she asked with a hoarse whisper.

He pulled her back just slightly and gazed into her soft brown eyes. "Give me a chance," he pleaded, descending his forehead down to hers. "I love you, Stell," he confessed clasping a hand on her cheek. "I love you so much."

Another tear slipped down her eye. He gently wiped it away. "What if I see you as a rebound?" she whispered. She felt a rush of emotions within her for him. Maybe it's because she's vulnerable right now. And she didn't want to hurt him due to a decision made at poor timings.

"I'll take what I get," he admitted sincerely before leaning in to kiss her gently.

And this time...

 _She kissed him back._

* * *

 **...**

 ***cough cough* I'm drunk. Yup, even I can tell from my writing here. It looks so disorganized at the moment, so if** _ **any**_ **of you have** _ **any**_ **suggestions/feedback/criticism, I'd love to hear about them :)**


	7. A Night Without You

**DISCLAIMER: I seriously hate writing the disclaimer! It reminds me every time that Winx Club is soooo not mine :(…Sigh… _._**

 **I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

 **I got the idea for this story from a story I read some years ago, although I don't remember the name. So almost all credit goes to that mystery person!**

* * *

 **~ Some random street – 4:12 AM ~**

 _What the hell am I doing?!_ Stella sadly thought as she walked down the familiar street with crystal tears in her eyes. It was late. But she couldn't fall asleep. She felt like her heart had been stabbed repeatedly.

Stella walked slowly and paused when she saw it. _HIS house._ Too late to turn back now. Really late. Stella walked up to his house, a choking lump forming in her throat. His house was beautiful and elegant. It not only symbolized his wealth, but it also reminded her what she had lost. She lost the right to be here. _To be with him._

 _I've already come this far…may as well continue,_ Stella thought sadly. She walked around to another part of the house and found herself staring up at his bedroom window. Shakily reaching for the ladder on his fire escape and trying desperately to be as silent as possible, she slowly climbed onto the ladder. Stella's heart thudded when she heard an almost inaudible groan. A normal person wouldn't have heard it, but she was a fairy. The unpredictable missions she constantly went on required her to be alert at all times and be expectant of even the unexpectable danger.

Shaking her head, she let out a sigh of little relief when she heard silence again. _Turn back, Stella. Please. You'll only hurt yourself._ Tearing up again, she climbed until she reached the transparent glass window. There he was. Sleeping so peacefully. If she had transformed her way here, he would've heard the sound. _Plus,_ a glowing light from her body after the teleportation would've illuminated the room, waking him up instantly. And she would be doomed if that were the case.

Her plan would fail before it even started.

Stella softly clicked the window's lock. Thank God for the lock-picking lessons he taught her years ago. Stella lifted the window and stepped foot inside, making sure to set the window down again to keep the cold air out. Her gaze softened as she watched him sleep. He was a light sleeper, so she had to be really careful. She slowly made her way to his king sized bed, ignoring her subconscious screaming at her. Every ounce of her begged to go home. That by staying her will only add to her heartbreak. That she's just going to hurt herself further.

Ignoring that, Stella withheld her breath as she gazed at him in longing. Tears fell out of her eyes and fell on the soft padded brown carpet. She could see every detail of him except those molten brown eyes which always managed to captivate her. His dark caramel hair was messily ruffled and fell just over his eyes. His lips were set into a straight thin line. Stella's eyes traced over his body almost painfully.

She watched his broad chest steadily rise and fall rhythmically as he breathed. Her eyes trailed back to his face and just studied his devilishly handsome face. She fought off the regret of her decision as best as she could. Stella fought to swallow the choked sob. Her stomach turned and twisted in knots painfully. She exhaled and inhaled deeply as tears began to well up in her eyes.

" _Why did I have to let you go?"_ she whispered to herself as she covered her face and felt hot tears slip through her fingers. _You were my world…what have I done?!_

Tears continued to stream down her pale cheeks as memories flooded her thoughts.

 _Their first kiss..._

During her first year after the defeat of Army of Darkness and Trix, they became an official couple. ***In fact, they were the first two to become a couple in the group of twelve friends. **(Note: Stella and Brandon ARE the first two to become a couple :D Glad to see FOR ONCE that Bloom wasn't the center of attraction here xD)**

 _The countless amount of times that he told her that he loved her..._

 _The hundreds of times that he comforted her..._

 _The many times he cried because her eyes held tears..._

And she threw all of that away because of a simple fight.

Stella cried into her hands silently as she remembered every beautiful memory. The day he officially asked her out as a boyfriend. The first time they kissed. And the number of times he told her that he loved her. Every time he held her close to him, her heart literally melted. Every time he hugged her, she felt like the luckiest woman alive. She started to cry harder as reality slapped her face. Her thoughts went back to that final fight…the one that killed her.

 _And it was her fault that they're over now._ Over something stupid.

 _I miss you so much…_ Stella cried. She wanted things to go back to the way they were. She hated herself for ruining the best thing ever in her life.

She froze and lifted her face from her hands when she heard him move in his sleep. This was it. It was her cue to leave. She waited until he laid still again and bent to reach his level. Without thinking, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against him in a soft kiss. He was warm like always, but it wasn't the same without him kissing her back.

When reality slapped her again, Stella moved back in horror. What had she just done? What if he had waken up?! Stella held her breath as she prayed with all her life that he would stay asleep. After a few seconds which felt like years, she quickly retreated to the window. She crawled out of his window. However, her heel hit the latch and the window slammed down. Terrified at what she had done, Stella jumped down onto the street, ignoring the sudden pain in her right foot when her feet planted onto the ground.

The pain slowly subsided, not that Stella even noticed. She flew down the street, running as fast as she could. After passing a few streets, her pace slowed down. She looked at the watch. _4:39 AM…_

Stella walked down the random street, heading with no real destination in her mind. Wherever the street lights lit a path, she took the turns. Her chest heaved in pain with every step she took away from him. She never felt so broken in her life before. Her heart was filled with longingness. Tears fell from her eyes as she walked, not really caring if anyone saw. It's not like people would be outside during this time of night anyway.

Never in her life had she felt so _alone._

She walked around aimlessly, trying to clear her mind. Clear her mind? Pfft, that was a joke. Her mind would be and always remain a clattered mess without him. She had made it to the ocean. Reality once again hit her as she remembered how much he too loved the beach. Tears welled up again in her timid brown eyes again. The pain was too overwhelming for her to bear.

A soft breeze blew and caressed her exposed face as she watched the water reflect the illuminous moon.

Stella froze when her phone suddenly rang out of nowhere. Her hands started to shake as she pulled it out and saw the name on the caller ID. She fell her knees start to shake. Pain shot through her heart. She might as get a stake and drive it through her heart herself. On instinct, she answered the call and placed it shakily in her ear.

"…hello?" she asked softly in disbelief.

She heard a small sigh. "Hey," _**he**_ replied.

Silence. Deafening and painful silence.

"How have you been?" he finally asked.

Stella felt tears well up in her eyes. How had she been?! She felt so broken that she felt like she'd die if she didn't see him.

"I'm okay. You?" she managed to answer without crying.

"Pretty much the same," he replied.

Silence. _Again._ It felt like a lifetime before he spoke up again.

"How are you really?" he asked.

"I'm…t-t-terrible," she managed to say before she let out a choked sob.

"I'm sorry to hear that," his voice seemed to trail off.

"Brandon, I'm so sorry," she cried. "Please forgive me! I'm so sorry for everything that I've said! I miss you!"

Stella fell to her knees and cried into the phone. There was only taunting silence from the other end.

"Please answer me," she begged.

"Brandon, please. I need you. I…love you!" she cried harder. She felt a click from the other end. This was it. _She lost her chance to be with him._

She sobbed into her hands, feeling like an absolute wreck.

"Do you really love me?" a familiar voice came from behind her. Stella gasped and turned around. She saw his face illuminated by the silver moonlight.

She couldn't even speak or move. She felt her tears stream down her face rapidly as he walked towards her, pain evident in his eyes as well. She stood up slowly. Mustering as much as energy she had left, she ran to him and threw herself at him, knocking the wind out of his lungs. She buried herself into his chest and cried deeply. He immediately wrapped his arms around her tightly.

"Please, Brandon! Please don't leave me! I'm so sorry," she begged him to stay. _To not leave her._

"Shh…" he coaxed her softly. "I'm not going to leave you, Stella."

 _Stella._ He never called her that. _Sunshine_ or _princess_ or _Stel._ He never called her by her real name even when he was pissed at her. She hugged him for dear life so forcefully that it hurt.

"I miss you, Brandon…I miss you so much," she cried into his shoulder.

"I know you do," he whispered in her ear, "I miss you too, Sunshine."

 _Sunshine._ She sobbed harder when she realized how much she missed hearing that affectionate nickname.

He held her close to him as she cried. Her cries slowly died to soft sniffles. Her death grip on his black jacket slowly loosened as she slowly started to calm down. She felt like a lifetime ago that he held her like this. He pulled her back just enough to wipe her tears away from her cheeks. She sniffled and stared into his eyes. His hands went to the base of her neck and she gasped slightly when she felt lips encase hers in a passionate kiss.

Stella felt her toes curl inwards with excitement. It didn't take long for her to kiss him back. She missed him so much. Tears fell down her eyes as they kissed.

They finally broke away from each other when the need for air came up. He touched her forehead with hers endearingly. He stared into her eyes. They seemed glassy from crying. He frowned and wiped away the remaining tears on her face.

"Please don't leave me, Brand," she whispered to him longingly.

He smiled, his forehead not leaving hers.

"I'm right here, Sunshine. I won't leave you."

"I screwed up so badly. You'll never look at me the same way," she choked out. She cast her eyes down in shame. He lifted her chin with her finger.

"Sunshine, no matter what you do, it will never change the way I feel. I love you. I always have and always will. You're an idiot if you thought I'd let you go without a fight."

He kissed her one more time, this one being soft and gentle. Still, it was amazing.

"I love you too," she whispered to him, her eyes glistening from the pain of being away from him for so long. He embraced her once again and let out a deep breathe, feeling complete once again.

"How did you find me?" he heard her ask.

He looked into her eyes again. His eyes held a hint of amusement and lips upturned into a small smirk. "When you decided to sneak into my bedroom, you slammed the window shut as you left. It snapped me awake and I ran over to the window. I saw you when you passed by the first street light. I quickly got dressed and ran after you. You were pretty fast, so I lost you. I figured I'd walk to the beach to clear my mind. And then I saw you."

"Thank you," she said softly. He smiled down at her and caressed her cheek.

"Why did you let me go? You said earlier that you wouldn't let me go without a fight," Stella stared up at him again.

"I did. But I was so shocked when you said that we were over. I was going to call you today. You're too important to me, princess. There's no way I'd let you go that easily," his eyes held hers sincerely.

Stella nodded slightly and looked down again, her eyes glazing in tears again. She hated herself for losing him and hurting him.

"I'm…s-sorry," she replied, her throat raspy.

"Me too, baby. Me too," he pulled her closer again and rested his chin atop her head. "How about some real sleep this time?"

She smiled and hugged him back.

They slowly walked back to his house. He wrapped his arm around her waist and she leaned her head against his shoulder.

* * *

 **~ Brandon Shields's House – Bedroom - 5:48 AM ~**

Stella followed him into his room, feeling of nostalgia overcome her again. She blushed as she looked around as if it was the first time.

He noticed her stop and looked back at her. She stood at his doorway, not really moving. She caught him staring at her in question and she blushed. She slowly walked inside, while avoiding eye contact with the bed.

She blushed a light pink when he gave her a onceover. She was wearing a sweater and jeans. Not exactly a wise choice to wear for sleeping. He took off his jacket. Stella turned bright red when he started to unbutton his navy shirt. He smirked when he noticed her obvious discomfort. She turned around. Her blush travelled all the way till her neck and chest. _I should have stalked him in the morning!_ She thought as she blushed furiously.

"Here," his deep, masculine voice interrupting her. She turned around, avoiding total eye contact with his well-built body. Even though he was wearing a white tank that effectively hid his chest from view, she could see the chiseled planes poking through the fabric. And those arms of his…

She blinked when he shoved his shirt into her hands.

"You can change in the bathroom. I'm a light sleeper, so I won't have you tossing and turning in those jeans. This will be quite long on you," he smirked when she turned red again. She grabbed the shirt in his hands and quickly scurried off to the bathroom.

He crossed his arms as he waited patiently for her to come out. A minute or two later, she stepped out wearing his shirt and carried her clothes as well. The shirt literally drowned her. The sleeves went past her arms and the length was just a little past her mid-thighs.

It took him all his willpower to not rip that thing to shreds and ravish her right there and then.

He turned around and calmly walked back to his bed. Stella watched with a soft blush as she watched him slip inside the covers and close his eyes. She placed her clothes on a nearby table and slowly walked towards him nervously.

Brandon opened his eyes, not understanding why she's not beside him yet. She was simply standing there at the edge of his bed cluelessly.

"Are you planning on getting some sleep or are you gonna stand there and blush there all night like an idiot?"

She blinked and blushed once again at his comment.

"We're sleeping on the same bed?" she asked softly.

"Do you see another bed here?" he smirked at her obvious discomfort.

Hesitantly, she lifted herself off the ground and slipped inside the warm covers. Her heart thudded as she closed her eyes. A moment later, she let out a yelp when his arm lashed out and pulled her to him. She opened her eyes and turned red when she saw herself staring at his chest. _Oh God…_ She gulped.

He chuckled and kissed her cheek. His lips ghostly trailed over her cheek, lips, and then her ear.

"Don't worry, Sunshine…I won't do anything to you…yet," he whispered to her seductively. She turned bright tomato again. She closed her eyes, desperate to get some sleep so she can avoid hearing those inappropriate things and stop blushing at every other thing he says.

Her eyes opened when she felt him kiss her forehead.

"Good night, Sunshine." He was looking at her with adoration. She smiled and scooted closer to him.

"Good night, Snookums," she blushed.

Stella closed her eyes blissfully. The void in her heart started to well up with happiness again. And she'll never let it go empty again.

* * *

 **...**


	8. Lullaby

**DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN WINX CLUB.**

It's been so long since I wrote a one-shot in this series, so I figured why not write one now?

Just as a heads-up, this one-shot revolves around a negative theme: abuse. If it's something that you're bothered by, please be careful about reading it. I don't want _anyone_ to feel bad or offended. This isn't my first time writing about a sensitive issue, but it's sort of my first time writing about abuse and neglect. Just wanted to put it out there.

Thank you!

* * *

 **~ 12:30 AM ~**

Stella covered her ears tightly with her hands, wincing as she miserably toiled to block out the squalling rumpuses from downstairs. Curling herself into a tight, knotted ball, she firmly sewed her eyes shut. But like every other day, her efforts are thrown out in vain, failing to drown out the commotion downstairs regardless of what time it is right now. All she wanted was _one night of sleep_ in her own house _._ One night. Lost in the comfy confines of her bed, she wanted one night free of hassles and filled with nothing but peace. Maybe going a step further and asking for sweet dreams is a little too much to hope, so for now, she'll stick to a good night's rest.

"Well, maybe if you had taken the trash out when I told you to, the house wouldn't have smelled so bad!" Luna Solaria yelled at her so-called husband.

"Oh, yeah? Why couldn't you!? And who the hell do you think you are to order me around?!" Radius yelled back just as heatedly.

Stella sighed from upstairs as she listened to her so-called father throwing one of his occasional displays of patriarchal dominance. Hearing them continue to yell at each other, Stella's eyes flinched with hurt and loneliness. What did she deserve to do this? Her parents have been throwing satires and rude remarks at each other since her early teenage years. Misunderstandings upon misunderstandings grew. Soon, petty fights evolved into uncalled-for verbal abuses, which later turned into some of her biggest nightmares. She lost her peace and her ability to sleep well, inducing insomnia. They've been at each other's throats for years. Now, all it takes for them to go off like an explosive is _teeny-tiny, insignificant_ squabble.

Honestly…why did they even bother to marry in the first place? This isn't how people in love act. They may fight and argue every once a while but they sure as hell don't turn the living room into a warzone.

Stella's eyes dimmed as she failingly fought off the reminiscence of her memories from her childhood. Her parents were so much in love. She could say they were devoted to her. They'd have these sweet little adventures in the parks, go to movies, have picnics, play tag together…but…those memories have nothing to do with what's happening today. She didn't know what changed. She can't find a memory to blame.

"I suppose it doesn't bother you since you and the trash are no different!" Luna shouted, completely losing her patience (as if she had any in the first place).

Despite throwing the covers over her and trying her best to muffle the pother, Stella's jaw dropped when she heard that in a clear, crystal voice. _Oh my god,_ the blonde shuddered as she sewed her eyes shut at such cruel insults. Tears pricked in her eyes. No matter how many times she endured hearing all of this, it never got any easier. She hated that she isn't accustomed to this nightmare yet. She hated her life. She hated this home. If this is even called a home, that is.

Dear, God…once she leaves for college in a month or two after vacation, she'll leave this hell hole and never _ever_ return again.

Stella instantly sat up, unable to take this anymore. This was too much to bear. Without a word, she threw the covers off and grabbed her phone from the nightstand. She was done. She's been done for years, and she really didn't need to take this crap anymore. _Every f-ing night, it's the same goddamn story,_ she glared at nothing in particular. She took her bag before creeping over to her closet. Picking out a clean outfit and underwear for tomorrow, she shoved the clothes inside. She tossed in her basic necessities for getting dressed — toiletries, hairbrush, lotion, makeup, etc.

Without a word, she straightened up and slipped her arms through the flaps of her backpack. Tiptoeing her way to the window, she pulled the blinds up before gently unlocking the little clasp to lift up the glass. She bit her lip, tossing a swift glance over her shoulder to make sure that her bedroom door was locked. Without wasting another second, she sat on the window frame before sliding her legs off the beige carpeted floor and to the other side before using the conveniently grown tree branch outside of her window to slide down to the ground. She hopped off with minimal scratches before escaping into her safe haven: the streets. Yeah. To think that for a seventeen-year-old girl, the streets are safer than her own home. Heh. _Such an irony._

She started walking in a very familiar direction. The echoing screams that filled her head moments ago now grew fainter with each second that passed but her heart still beat irregularly from all that rush of anxiety. She pulled out her earphones before plugging them in into her iPod. She randomly selected one of her playlists and hit play before letting the soft, sad music fill her ears. It seemed that this was the only type of music she was interested in these days.

Stella frowned deeply. Why did her parents fight so much? Despite years of this, they still continued. And as redundant and pathetic as it sounds, it never got easier. They both refused to pay attention to their growing daughter, who's now old (and clearly rebellious) enough to sneak out of the house without them even grasping a _hint_. They didn't even know what major she's in, what boy she likes, what colleges she's been accepted to, what subjects she's taking, etc. Stella scoffed to herself. Yeah, right. Who was she kidding? They barely acknowledge that she's there, let alone make the effort to _know_ her interests. Heh. She never thought she'd be jumping in and out of windows and jumping up and down trees with rude branches, but, hey, desperate times call for desperate measures.

The household was abusive and suffocating. She didn't know what life had in store for her. She didn't know what'll she be doing years later or where she'll be working or how her future husband is going to be like. But one thing she knew she'd be doing was to never let her children grow up in such a toxic environment. She'd rather be a single parent than let an innocent child feel like living in an abusive environment is okay. _Hell no, it isn't._

With a soft, tired sigh, she quickened her pace. All she wanted to do now was just get a good night of sleep. She took a few turns and soon, she found herself relaxing as she entered the well-known, fully lit neighborhood.

In minutes, Stella stopped in front of a very familiar house. Her tense eyes scanned solemnly at the reddish-brown bricks that covered the home, obstructing the view of whom she really wanted to see. She walked up the driveway and climbed the porch before stopping in front of the front door. Tears flooded her eyes as she remembered why she was here in the first place. Her hands fished into her pockets. Something cold and metallic touched her fingertips before she pulled out the spare key that _**he**_ gave her. She held it tightly and closed her eyes. Merely holding the key gave her so much energy and strength. But it wasn't enough.

She inserted the key into the lock before she heard the door softly click in the silent night. She breathed as she stepped inside the darkened home. She gently locked the door behind her. She didn't bother switching on the lights. She came here enough times to know her way around with eyes closed.

Knowing he was probably sleeping now, she quietly tiptoed upstairs. His parents were probably asleep too and she didn't want to wake any of them up. She bit back a relieved smile when she saw that his room was unlocked. It always was.

 _For her?_

She hoped so.

Liquid gold pooled in her eyes as she happily viewed the scene before her with tears as she found her _real_ home. Her best friend in this entire world, the one person she can _always_ count on, and the one guy who has the power to make her laugh no matter how crappy her day is. "Brandon," she softly whispered automatically, sniffling to herself before blinking back the tears and effectively masking them away.

Closing the door loosely behind her, she skipped into the room quietly like she did a million times before. She approached his bed with caution, not wanting to wake him up. Without a word, she slipped into the bed next to him and watched him sleep.

She envied this guy so much. He had such a great life. With loving and doting parents who actually gave a _damn_ about him, he's bound to have an envious life.

He was her only best friend. He knew her inside and out without being explicitly told. He just understood her so well. He comforts her when she's sad and he laughs when she's angry. What more can a girl want?

With an arm underneath his head and another on his waist, Brandon slept silently with his lips slightly parted as his chest rose and fell steadily with each relaxing breath. It was so calming to watch this guy sleep. He just made so many things feel insignificant.

Snapping out of her blatantly obvious, brazen ogling, Stella tucked herself into the covers. She resisted the urge to coo at how warm they felt. She even felt heat radiating all the way from him. The sensations worked as a sedative for her as she found herself cooing in pleasure and scooting towards another body on the bed. Stella let out a contented sigh before coiling her hands around his arm and resting her head next to him.

At the sudden, chilly contact, his body instantly jerked. His eyes opened in a flash. "WHAT THE—" he shouted in surprise, gasping in cold blood and snatching his arm away to wildly look at the intruder.

Stella blinked at his wild reaction. She knew he was a light sleeper, but _this,_ now this was too much. This was an unnecessary overreaction. Brandon's fright soon shifted to anger when he saw a very familiar blonde, appearing awfully relaxed in his bed. "What the hell, Stella?!" he snapped. "Holy shit, you gave me a heart attack!" he breathed, clutching his chest.

"Keep it down! I don't want to wake the house!" Stella hissed before clamping a hand to his mouth.

He pushed her arm away immediately. "Then don't break in!" he snapped angrily before raking a hand through his tousled, messy hair. " _Again,"_ he groaned irately. "For the millionth time," he grumbled under his breath before falling back down on the bed, cooling down by plenty of notches.

"I have a spare key," she pointed out in her defense, wiggling the little key in his face to prove her point. "Technically, I can go in and out as I please."

"Creep alert," he muttered under his breath, yawning. He began to close his eyes again, ready to go back to the sleep that she oh-so _rudely_ interrupted with her uninvited presence.

"I come here just about every day. One would think you'd expect me here," Stella grumbled at his stupid attitude.

"Well, since you do come here every night, one would also think you would've learned how to not make a creepy entrance," he snapped back at her, retorting right on cue. A second later, he eyed the clock and saw that it was a few minutes past one. His frown instantly turned into a lopsided grin. "Hey, you're twenty minutes later than usual," he poked her. "Is that a good sign?"

"There's nothing good about sneaking out," Stella sighed with a dejected scowl.

"Then you should've stayed in. Or at least, called me," Brandon frowned, turning towards her.

The road to Brandon's house wasn't unsafe. There were plenty of streetlights on the way, so, she never really felt scared. Plus, there was a police station nearby. "I needed the walk," Stella shrugged. _Or maybe it's because you're looking forward to seeing him?_ Her conscious hinted with a teasing tone, ignoring her reasoning.

He didn't comment further. Instead, he simply looked at her. He turned away a few seconds later and lay down on his back. "Well," he yawned. "It's pretty late, so we should really get to slumbering," he suggested.

"Yeah. Good night," she softly said after a few quiet seconds.

"'Night," he murmured before his eyes gave way to sleep.

Stella turned the other way before curling her knees up to her chest. She closed her eyes in peace. This house was so serene. She embraced the beautiful silence. Why can't her parents understand that? Sometimes, she wondered if they even knew that she existed. She knows that she should be immune to this by now, but she just wasn't. She loved her parents but the fact that they abuse each other so much drives her insane. Tears pricked her eyes no matter how hard she tried to push them down. She didn't want to cry. It's already bad enough that she sneaked into her best friend's house and hogged his bed, so she's pretty sure that crying here just takes things to a whole new level of annoyance and irritation.

Brandon opened his eyes when he felt the bed move unceremoniously, vibrating and subtly shaking. _Huh?_ He blinked before looking around him only to know that the soft quivers were coming from the blonde. He raised himself on his elbow before staring at her curiously.

She was turned the other way and if he didn't know any better, he'd say she was crying. He scooted over towards her before placing his hand on her shoulder. "Stell?" his concerned voice asked. "Hey, are you crying?"

Stella gasped at the moisture that wet her cheeks. She didn't even realize that she was. "What?! No, of course not," she responded, her voice turning thick and congealed to conceal her tears. "Since when do I cry?" she forced a laugh. She didn't cry. Stella Solaria doesn't cry.

He shook his head knowingly. Of course. He should've known better to expect that she'd be lying. "You tell me," he chided her. "No offense, but you're not a very good liar," he poked her.

Despite her tears, a small, faint smile still graced her face. See? This is _exactly_ what she meant by him understanding her so well. Wouldn't it be nice if her parents gave her at least a 1% of the attention he showered on her?

Another choked sob escaped her lips before she started to openly cry. She was tired of hiding behind her smile and pretending that everything was okay when it actually _wasn't._ She dove underneath the comforters to muffle her cries. She didn't need to be any more embarrassed than she already was.

"Oh no, you don't," he grumbled. "How am I supposed to make fun of you if you hide like that?" he mumbled. He gently ripped the sheets away from her hold before curiously peering over her shoulder. His tone, laced with humor but also concern at the same time, made her automatically turn to him. She hugged him tightly before starting to weep in misery. He stiffened and sucked in a surprised gasp as she clutched his body for dear life. He turned on his back with a soft grunt before quickly composing himself. In moments, he relaxed once again before remaining silent. He wrapped an arm around her body and listened to her cry with a deep frown, choosing not to comment until she calmed down.

"That bad, huh?" he gently asked, rummaging his fingers through her hair.

Another small sob escaped her throat. "I can't take this anymore. That place is a hellhole," she wailed. "They don't care about me, they don't ground me when I do something stupid, they don't even know what I'm doing…" she continued.

He remained silent. He knew. What could he possibly say? She spent most of her nights with him and her parents never even noticed. _Not once._ Either that or they just…didn't care. What could he _possibly_ say to a girl that's neglected this badly? For heaven's sake, they probably don't even know she's here right now, weeping her heart out.

"Can I stay here?" she asked in a small voice after a few sniffles.

 _Of course, you can, you idiot,_ he snorted internally. Why else would he give her a spare key? "You clearly didn't need my permission when you weaseled your way in here," he smirked before rolling his eyes.

She laughed through her tears. "You're the one who gave me the spare key," she pointed out again in her defense.

"Not for misuse," he winked teasingly.

"This is misuse?" she narrowed her eyes in confusion.

He chuckled before his eyes donned seriousness. "No. It isn't," he quietly said.

A deep silence entered into the room, but neither fell asleep. "Stell," he nudged her by softly squeezing her shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"Next time...call me, dammit," he mumbled. "I mean it. Or it'll be me breaking into your house. I'm really not digging the idea of you walking around the streets at night anymore," he frowned, looking down at her.

"Okay," she sniffled.

The room fell into a hushed silence, but oddly, it comforted her. She absentmindedly played with his shirt, creating soft creases with her fingers. She looked up at him as he glanced up at the ceiling with gentle eyes. How is this guy so patient with her? He offered her a home without her asking. Only she knew how many times she ran to him for help, desperate to get away from her suffocating living conditions. Not once did she remember him pushing her away. Instead…he listened. He never voiced anything out loud, never once choosing to disrespect her parents, yet also never ceasing to support her.

"…How come you're not irritated or tired of me?" she softly asked, unable to resist. She came here every day or every other day like she owned the place. She knew she was probably _such_ a burden to him. Even he can't deny that it's, of course, annoying (not to mention _frightening_ ) to jerk awake in the middle of the night almost every other day.

His eyes traveled down to meet her gaze on him. "Who says I'm not?" he gently sighed. "You come here almost every night, Stell. Your parents don't care enough to notice. Of course, I'm tired."

"That's not what I meant," she said with a brisk shake of her head.

"Well, that's what I'm tired of," he retorted. "And how many times did I tell you to not come here so late at night? I'd rather die of the heart attacks you give me than hear you got mugged or something," he frowned deeply, repeating himself. "It's not safe, for Pete's sake." Not that she'll ever heed to his advice. He never wanted to wake up to the day where he'll have to hear that some harm befell on her. Despite his numerous lectures on safety, the stubborn blonde just never listened.

"…If we lived together, then this wouldn't be a problem," she grumbled under her breath.

Brandon's eyes widened in shock at what he just heard. _Did she just…?_ "What?" he asked, startled.

Stella sucked in a surprised gasp and instantly stiffened in his arms, covering her mouth in disbelief. She so did not mean to say that out loud and she definitely had not wanted him to overhear that! "I w-was just s-saying," she said pathetically before fidgeting nervously with her fingers. "Just observing." _What am I even saying?_ she rolled her eyes at herself, making a mental note to have a filter to her mouth the next time she decides to blurt something out.

He gave her a suspicious, narrowed look before shrugging. _A lack of sleep must be messing up whatever brain cells she has left_ , he snorted to himself. "...Okay." A silent moment passed between them before Brandon broke the tension again. "We should get some sleep, yeah?" he suggested as he gently removed himself from her and scooted to his end of the mattress to give her some personal space.

Stella felt her heart wobble with disappointment as the conversation ended. She bit her lip before a small blush coated her cheeks at her obviously growing feelings for him. Thank God it was dark, or he would've teased her endlessly about it. "...Good night, Brandon," she softly told him.

"Night, Stel," he murmured, laying on his back and closing his eyes.

In a few minutes, Brandon's eyes slowly opened when he heard gentle, rhythmic, and relaxed breaths from the blonde beside him, indicating that she was fast asleep. He stole a glance at her before sighing to himself and staring up at the ceiling. He couldn't fall asleep. Not anymore. Not after what she said in a moment of haste.

 _"If we lived together, then this wouldn't be a problem."_

Despite her making a pathetic excuse to cover it up, he knew what he heard. _Does she not know what living together means?_ He thought with a dejected sigh, shaking his head. She just said that out of desperation to move out of her home, but she hadn't said out of any feelings for him.

 _Living together..._

Only couples do that, and the last time he checked, she wasn't his girlfriend. He'd give anything to move in with her, but he wished they weren't just friends anymore. It was tiring to watch her cry and not be able to kiss those tears away and whisper gentle words of comfort and love in her ears. It was torture sharing the same bed with her and having his hormonal teenager imaginations run wild with him but not being able to at least give her a good night kiss on the forehead. He didn't know what it takes to impress a girl these days. He hated being just her boy friend and not her _boyfriend._ There's a hell of a lot of difference.

She understood him in a way that no one will ever be able to. She can finish his sentences. Yet…the ditz can't even _feel_ the depth of his emotions for her. He let out another deep sigh. He knew he would never be able to tell her how he feels at this rate. It will destroy their friendship if she doesn't feel the same way. He wanted her to know how he felt for her, yet, at the same time, he worked hard by playfully insulting her and throwing sarcastic remarks left and right to make sure that she can't even sense his feelings.

He closed his eyes, tiredly deciding to just turn in for the night. This was a recurring battle for him anyway. "Sweet dreams, Stell..." he whispered to her even though she probably fell asleep already.

* * *

 **~ 10:00 AM ~**

In the morning, Brandon's mother, Heather, went into her son's room to wake him up for breakfast only to see Stella in his bed as well. They were both fast asleep and frankly, she wasn't too surprised to see the sight. It was an almost daily thing for Stella to crash here. But every time, Stella left pretty early before breakfast to avoid awkwardness. Smiling at the sight, Heather couldn't resist to mentally snap a picture. They honestly looked so cute together.

"Alright. Wake up, sleepyheads," Heather giggled, laughing in amusement. "It's ten o'clock already."

At the sound of Heather's voice, Stella's heavily asleep eyes jolted awake before they snapped open in shock. She gasped, wondering just how on earth she slept in long enough for Brandon's mom to catch them like _this_. "Heather!" the blonde sat up, startled.

Brandon's ears twitched in response at the sound, but he merely rolled to the side and didn't say anything.

Stella scooted off to the far side of the mattress, her cheeks reddening with embarrassment. "We weren't doing anything! I swear—" she protested. Her face was flushed.

"...She didn't say that," Brandon sleepily grumbled. "You can stop embarrassing us both now," he hummed before going back to sleep.

"Sorry, Heather," Stella said in shame. "I should've called..." she trailed off.

"Yeah, you should've," Brandon agreed, smirking with closed eyes.

Stella turned around and glared at him.

Heather laughed at their little banter. " _Ignore_ him. You'll always welcome here, sweetie."

"I beg to differ," he piped in from beside.

Stella scoffed, having had enough of his snark so early in the morning. "How dare you!?" Exasperated, she took a pillow from beside her before whacking him with it straight in the face.

At that, his eyes snapped open, losing all signs of sleep. "Hey!" he howled before shooting her a glare. "You'll pay for that, blondie!" he growled before taking his pillow and attempting to hit her with it.

"You started first, jackass!" Stella defended irritably before pouncing on him with another pillow.

Heather sighed before shaking her head. _These two..._ she thought in amusement before leaving the room. _They should just get together already._ She casually went back downstairs while dismissing their bickering and not even bothering to intervene in between.

* * *

"You didn't have to walk me home," Stella told him as they neared her house just across the street.

"I know," Brandon smiled back at her, placing his hands into his pockets.

"I'll go from here. I don't want my parents to catch us like this. I've never stayed out this late at your place. I'm pretty sure they know."

Brandon nodded, deciding not to press her anymore. "See ya later then, and be careful," he said, giving her shoulder a little pat. Stella nodded and waved to him as he turned around to go home.

She sighed, dreading the mere thought of going home. She honestly hated that stupid place. She can't wait to go off to college, where she can stay in a peaceful dormitory surrounded by her best friends. Honestly, at this point, she's more than willing to stay with strangers too.

She sighed wistfully to herself as she watched Brandon walking away. "Hey, Brandon?" she called him again before jogging towards him.

"Yeah?" he turned just as she neared.

She instantly threw her arms around his neck, startling him. She hugged him tightly. "Thank you," she whispered with true gratitude.

He remained silent for a few moments, wondering why she doesn't understand the way their proximity affects him. Sighing to himself, he cradled her head gently against his chest. "See you tonight, Stell," he warmly smiled into her hair, giving her a tight bear hug.

Despite the seriousness of her situation, she laughed into his chest, making him follow suit as well.

They separated within seconds before smiling at each other. Stella instantly missed the warmth that disappeared the moment she took a step backwards. "See you around," he winked before giving her shoulder an affectionate pat. She watched him turn on his heel and walk in the opposite direction, away from her.

"Bye," she whispered with a gloomy wave.

* * *

"Stella Solaria!"

Stella winced when she heard her name. She entered the house just as two sets of fast-paced, stomping footsteps approached the front door. The blonde flinched when she saw the scowls on her parents' features.

"Where were you all night, young lady!?" Radius instantly barked in anger. "And why was your phone switched off?!"

Stella stared at him. _Why is my phone switched off?_ Really? Do they really need to ask? "You obviously know where I was, so why not ask something you don't know instead?" she replied dully, moving to go back upstairs again and lock herself in her room before the living room turned into yet another war zone.

Radius opened his mouth to tell her to watch her tone when Luna placed a hand on his shoulder to intervene. Turning to Stella, she cut in gently. "Sweetie, we were just worried about you. You could've told us you went to Brandon's. We wouldn't have stopped you, but we would've appreciated a little notice."

Stella flinched at her mother's gentle tone. It honestly felt so foreign. She was used to screaming slander, not sugar-coated baby talk.

"We shouldn't have to call your friends or their parents to find out where you are. It's extremely irresponsible on your part, young lady," Radius scolded his daughter.

Stella rolled her eyes. "Irresponsible? Really? _I'm_ irresponsible?" she scoffed. "You're the _last_ person to lecture me on that, _Dad,_ " she snapped, her eyes burning with pent-up anger. "The only things you two ever agree on is how to lecture and yell at me! Irresponsible, _my foot,"_ she glared, having had enough. If anyone saw the three from a distance right now, no one would ever think her parents can't get along. They'd just see parents, well, parenting their only child. But in reality, forget getting along. Sometimes, it's like they hate each other. Everyone says stupid stuff when they're angry, but sometimes, some things shouldn't be taken too far.

"Sweetie, don't talk to your father that way," Luna said a little sternly.

Stella rolled her eyes. "Why don't you use that advice for yourself, _Mom_?" she replied with snark. She never understood why they'd respect one other in front of others but can't do that for each other. _Such an irony,_ Stella rolled her eyes and made sure they saw it. They can disrespect each other but others shouldn't. Now what kind of a love or whatever messed crap is that?

"Alright, that's enough!" Radius bellowed, interfering immediately and casting his daughter a look of warning, a _challenge,_ almost as if he's daring her to cross her limits. "You're grounded," Radius stated, causing her to sputter in shock.

"What?" Stella blinked, wondering if she heard that right. _"Excuse me?"_

"Take yourself and your sass to your room, _"_ Radius glared, pointing his hand upwards. _"Now._ And I don't want another word out of you, young lady," he added, his eyes clearly hinting that he's not happy with her.

Unable to say anything else, defeated, Stella glared at the both of them before stomping out of the room and rushing upstairs. She slammed the door shut.

"And you stay up there until you learn to act your age!" Radius yelled angrily from downstairs.

Stella winced as she heard her father's voice resonate violently throughout the house. Angry tears pricked her tears as she locked her room. Closing the shutters and the blinds, she fell back on the bed, sniffling to herself. She sulked alone angrily in the darkness, feeling sorry for herself. It's just not fair.

She gasped when her phone suddenly pinged with the text, the brightness of it illuminating her face. Her eyes instantly lost their dullness as she rolled over on her stomach and immediately opened the message without even bothering to view the caller ID.

 _ **Brandon:**_ _all good?_

 _ **Stella:**_ _I guess :/ they know I was at ur place last night_

 _ **Brandon:**_ _mom probably told em. Sorry about that :/_

 _ **Stella:**_ _its all good. thanks for letting me stay. Ur the best_

 _ **Brandon:**_ _I know ;)_

At his wink, Stella couldn't help but blush. Rolling over to face the ceiling, the blonde smiled goofily to herself. And all of a sudden…her punishment was the last thing on her mind.

* * *

 _ **Hours later…**_

 **~ 12:50 AM ~**

The entire day passed pretty much uneventfully. Stella stared at the ceiling with a blank expression on her face. After returning from work, her parents began their daily routine. Except instead of trash and kitchen and whatnot, the topic has changed to _How to Parent Stella._

Her eyes watered when she heard their conversation going off-topic again and they were back to square one once more. Insults, insults, and more insults. They'll never change, will they? Why can't they just…get a divorce? It would be so much easier. And she'd rather visit them back and forth than stay suffocated in a room with nothing to free herself with but her own fantasies of a happy family.

She ducked her head underneath a pillow, not even wanting to listen to what they were saying. She prayed for sleep to come but…when did she ever really get what she wanted?

She gasped when her phone started to vibrate. Peeking at the screen, she saw that it was none other than Brandon. Of course, who else would call her at this time but him? She snatched the phone and held it to her ear breathlessly.

"Hi," she whispered with a joyful smile. Tears stung her eyes as she waited to hear his voice. She wanted him to hug her and tell her that everyone would be okay eventually. Just like he did every night. She wanted him to snap at her for frightening him with her night-time entrances. Her tears crystalized as she held on to those desperate hopes, which still seemed so far away no matter how harder she ran towards them.

"Hey, you," she heard a gentle voice in her ear. "You're late," Brandon smirked, glancing at the clock in his room.

"Yeah…um…about that…I'm grounded," she said gloomily.

There was momentary silence from his end. "…Well, you did mention something about wanting to be grounded…" Brandon tried to help the situation. "Be careful what you wish for, huh?"

Stella gave the phone a dry look before putting it back in her ear. "Really, Brandon?" she snorted.

"Sorry," he apologized with a soft chuckle, pursing his lips together.

She sighed to herself. He did have the right idea about one thing though. She was so used to sleeping with him, _the plain, platonic definition of it, that is,_ each night, despite the circumstances, that she actually looked forward to it. And it's become a daily thing for her. "…I really wish you were here," she voiced her thoughts out loud. But it doesn't matter. He won't be able to come here. Not through the front door like a normal human, at least.

There was silence for a few moments. "…You'll see me soon," he said in a gentle voice.

"I know…" she grumbled. "It's just…never mind, forget it." It was a recurrent skirmish for her anyway. There's no point is repeating her ranting routine every day.

"Well…I have to go, but will you be okay?" Brandon asked.

"Yeah, sure. Good night, Brandon," she softly said, silently thanking him for checking up on her.

"'Night, Stell," he said.

She felt the warmth of his smile all the way till here. And that made her feel even more special. She felt lucky to be able to have someone like him in her life. Someone she could call whenever she wanted to, irrespective of the time.

The blonde slowly slid the phone down her cheek as she heard the uncomfortable beep of the call ending. She fell back on the bed, relaxing against her mattress.

Try as she might, she just couldn't fall asleep. The conversations from downstairs weren't exactly loud enough to shatter glass, but they were vocal enough to make her cringe and squirm with anxiety.

She closed her eyes, hoping that she'll eventually fall sleep and morning will wake her soon.

* * *

Stella got up, feeling hazy. She looked around herself in confusion, realizing that she had fallen in a semi-unconscious sleep. _Why am I up?_ She yawned to herself before sitting still when she heard something tick against her window. With bemusement, she got up from the bed as someone continued to throw little pebbles against her window. _Um…?_ She pulled back the curtains and opened the blinds only to suck in a breath in shock when she saw that it was Brandon. "Brandon?!" she gasped in alarm to see him dangling on a tree. What was he doing?!

"Hi," he sheepishly grinned, holding his grip on the trunk tightly.

She blinked a few times before getting ahold of herself. "Oh my god, you idiot!" Stella gasped before opening the hatch and lifting up the window to let him in before he could fall and possibly break his legs. "I didn't mean for you to really come!" she whisper-scowled at him.

He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head before tossing her a grateful look for not falling asleep yet. He slowly let go of one hand before reaching for the window and letting himself into the room. "Ow!" he suddenly crouched, hissing in pain when his head hit the window frame. He scowled before tossing a small glare at the window before quietly pushing himself in. "Do you really do this every day?" he grumbled in annoyance and incredulity before standing up and dusting himself off.

She sighed to herself, shaking his head at his stupidity.

He made himself at home on her bed before she joined him and sat cross-legged beside him.

A few moments of silence passed as the two teenagers sat there awkwardly.

"I wasn't serious when I said that, you know," Stella told him bluntly, breaking the silence.

"I know," he replied casually before looking around her room. It's been a long while since he has been here. Clearly long enough to notice how drastically her room had changed now. She replaced a few posters of her favorite music idols. Things were rearranged and furniture was moved around. A few more picture frames, consisting of him and her, adorned the shelves.

He let out a yawn and rubbed his eyes before checking out the time. _1:22 AM._

"We should get some sleep," he observed, turning to her.

Stella nodded before crawling underneath the sheets. He followed her before laying down beside her. He looked up at the ceiling and saw it filled with light-blue neon stars of different sizes. "You still have them? What are you, five?" he smirked.

She rolled her eyes before giving a smirk. "Some things just never get old," she stated as a matter of fact.

He smiled faintly as the room fell into silence once more.

Stella let out a soft sigh before closing her eyes only for them to peel open again when her ears perked up at the _still_ ongoing argument downstairs. It wasn't as loud or high-pitched as an opera singer's voice, but it was still enough to upset her and strip her of her need to doze off again. She sighed tiredly before turning to the side, away from Brandon. She shut her ears tightly and willed herself to not cry. She didn't want him to see her cry. She already made herself look lame as hell when she cried last night in his house. She felt humiliated and sick to her stomach that he had to listen to the mess downstairs.

Brandon propped his head up on his elbow before sneaking a quick glance over the blonde's shoulder.

Feeling him shift around the bed in the following few seconds, Stella thought that he might just pick up his things and leave while leaving a crappy excuse behind. She wouldn't blame him if he did that.

Stella winced when she felt a palm on her shoulder. That's it. He was leaving. She tried to not be hurt by that but there was only—

"Turn around," he quietly said, interrupting her mental rant.

She looked over her shoulder for a moment before letting out a small, tired sigh. Turning her body completely to face him, she gave him a questioning glance and waited for him to tell her that he had somewhere to be. But, contraire to what she had braced herself to, he gave her a small, charming wink before scooting over to her by a few inches and gently plugging in one of the earphones in his hand into her ear. Baffled, she stared at him curiously as he put in the other end of the earphones into his ear.

He turned to her before giving her a gentle smile. He unlocked his phone, letting the glaring light illuminate his handsome, rugged face.

Soon, a soft melody filled her ears, causing her lips to part in sheer surprise. She gradually forgot what she was worried about as the graceful voice of the singer filled her ears, causing the blonde to listen to the song with interest.

"Like it?" he smiled, pleased with her reaction, before flipping through his newly downloaded playlists. "It's a new one."

Stella grinned before scooting closer to him to peer at the list of songs. She unconsciously huddled closer to him, craving the warm heat his body radiated. Her face pressed into his chest as she continued to relish their proximity.

She keenly listened to the lyrics with genuine interest. ***

 _Nothing's wrong now that you're here,_

 _Especially since I hold you so dear…_

Brandon smiled faintly at the lyrics before stealing a quick glance at the girl nuzzling into his arms. His heart skipped a quick beat when he realized how deliciously close she was to him. Close enough to pick the scent of apples and vanilla from her hair.

The lyrics repeated again.

 _Nothing's wrong now that you're here,_

 _Especially since I hold you so dear…_

The cute smile that was on Stella's lips faded as the words chimed twice in her ears. _Nothing's wrong…?_ She repeated to herself. She remembered her reality again, which is nowhere close to the beauty of the heartfelt lyrics. No, _everything's_ wrong. Maybe…it's because of her. Maybe everything that's wrong in her life was because of her. Surely, there has to be _something_ wrong that her parents are fighting like this. It _has_ to be her fault somehow.

Seeing her distantly stare off into space, he realized that she wasn't really listening to the song. "Earth to Stella, you there?" Brandon snapped his fingers in front of her face to get her attention.

She looked up at him, who had curiosity plastered all over him. "Is there something wrong with me?" she asked in a small, underconfident voice, burying her face into his chest. "Is that why they're fighting?" she whispered weakly.

He sighed, realizing that she'll never stray too far from that hideous topic. He honestly _despised_ talking about the same thing again and again in recurrent circles because he hated seeing her so upset. But that's who she was. She smiled at everyone, pretending that everything's dandy and filled with sunshine in her life. But only he knew how much she truly loved her family and all she ever wanted was for her family to be whole again. If a picture equals a thousand words, her tears are worth millions of those.

He never chose to interfere though, mostly because it was her personal issue. Though it was tempting for the irrational side of him to awaken and burst through those front doors and give the so-called "adults" in this household a piece of his mind.

Shaking his head, his eyes traveled back to her before he answered her question.

"Of course not, Stell," he comforted her with a frown, pausing the song. "I mean, I'm here, aren't I?" he smiled. "The fact that I climbed a tree and risked getting my legs broken should tell you _something_ ," he tried to cheer her up. And it worked.

She couldn't help but giggle. Her smile continued to blossom as she playfully hit his shoulder. "Wimp," she smirked.

"Sorry, but not everyone is trained in the art of being creepy," he teased as his frown instantly uplifted into a sly smirk.

She gasped before she punched his shoulder a little harder this time. "…"

He chuckled at the glare she sent his way. He can never take her anger seriously. The puffed cheeks, those wide eyes, and the cute glare she mustered never ceased to make him smile. "Any idiot would kill for you, so cheer up, blondie," he smirked before giving her a cheeky wink and tapping her cheek.

He looked back at his phone, failing to notice the effect his latest words had on the stunned blonde.

"…Would you?" she whispered, breaking the silence without thought. "Would you kill for someone like me?"

Stella felt his body instantly stiffen underneath her. The finger swiping left and right on his phone froze midway as he fell immediately silent at what she just said. She didn't just say that, did she? Did she say that in the way he thought she did or was it one of those "slipups" she always corrected herself with? His eyes slowly darted towards her. He needed to know that she didn't just blurt it out without thinking like she normally did. He needed to know that she meant what she just said.

Taking his silence the wrong way, fearing rejection, Stella slowly scooted away from him. "I'm sorry…" she stuttered. "I didn't mean to say that," she bit her lip before diving under the covers. "I shouldn't have said that," he heard her muffled voice. Her face burned with humiliation. Great, now their friendship was permanently ruined. Why would he ever want to be with someone like her?

He blinked when she pulled the covers down before slowly sitting up. "…You can leave if you want," she softly spoke in the most dejected voice he has ever heard from her. "Good night, Brandon," she mumbled, drawing her knees to her chest.

Slowly, as an icy sculpture thaws on a hot summery day, his body relaxed before his stunned, pursed lips uplifted into a smile. And soon, he found himself grinning like an absolute moron. He slapped himself, wiping the dopey grin off his face before following suit to sit beside her.

"You know…" he started, turning to her. "Throwing a guest out in the middle of the night is bad manners," he smirked as he drew one knee to closer to his chest before folding another underneath him.

She turned to him with a look that literally screamed that following good manners was the _last_ thing on her mind right now. He couldn't help but laugh.

Hurt that he was making fun of her feelings, she cast her eyes down, clearly humiliated. Tears flooded her eyes. "I knew it," she whispered as a heartbroken, lonely tear slithered down her cheek. He didn't like her. He just…tolerated her. That hurt her even more.

She gasped when she felt his hand on her cheek. He turned her towards him before gently catching the tears that fell from her gorgeous, soft brown eyes.

"Well, you were right," he said, giving nothing away yet. "I wouldn't kill for someone like you," he admitted.

Seeing him go silent was one thing but hearing him outright blurt the very words she never wanted to hear was the last straw for her. Her face crumbled.

He leaned in, caressing her cheek. "But I would kill for you," he softly said, his impassiveness crumbling into dust as his eyes turned gentle and compassionate.

Stella's eyes widened.

He leaned in before his lips made contact with her skin. Stella let out a gasp as he kissed her forehead with tenderness. "Why else do you think I'm here, stupid?" he whispered, his lips softly stroking her skin.

A smile cracked through her heartbroken frown before she sniffled through her tears at his words.

He pulled back before giving her a warm smile. A _genuine_ one. Not one filled with his usual cockiness or sarcasm. It made her heart flutter.

Brandon tugged on her wrist before pulling her into an embrace. She melted instantly into his arms as she clung to him, feeding off the delicious heat his body radiated. It warmed her till her toes. She blushed when she felt him kiss her cheek gently.

His lips soon hovered over her ear. "I know I said any idiot would kill for you, but I'm not an idiot. Just saying," he pointed out with a slightly peeved voice.

Stella erupted into a fit of giggles as she nuzzled her face into his chest. He chuckled along with her before pulling back from her.

"Come on, we still have a few songs to go through," he smiled before falling back on the bed. He tugged on her wrist, causing her to fall right on top of his chest.

She let out a blissful sigh as she melted into his arms. She snuggled into his arms, enjoying the way he held her.

"Thank you," she whispered into his shirt.

"For...?" he said quietly, stroking her hair and hugging her back.

"For always making me feel better," she admitted honestly, glancing at him through her lashes.

He gave her a smile before responding by putting the earphones back in their ears. He resumed the song from where it last stopped. They lay together quietly, humming along to the songs. Neither could wipe the dumb grins on their faces.

The melodies soothed the disturbed blonde. But it was the feeling of his arms around her that was the real panacea.

Within minutes, her body relaxed against his before going limp as her eyes fluttered close.

He smiled at the sight. He gently removed the earphones before placing them and his phone on the nightstand beside her bed. Unable to resist, he kissed the top of her head gently as she rested in his arms. "Sweet dreams, Princess," he whispered with a gentle smile. Shutting the lamps off, he closed his eyes, ignoring the slowly dissolving argument downstairs.

And for the first time in a long, _long_ time, Stella slept peacefully in her own home, perfectly being able to ignore the ongoing argument downstairs. The one night of sleep she wanted…she finally got it as she drifted into unconsciousness with the gentle, rhythmic lullaby of his heartbeat soothing her.

He pulled the covers over them before he succumbed to sleep himself.

They slept in absolute peace only to wake up in complete embarrassment the following morning in the presence of her amused parents.

* * *

 ******* The so-called 'song' doesn't actually exist. I made up those lyrics (please don't laugh at me) just to fit the plot.

Oh, and obviously, some of the conversations are just exaggerated (again) to fit the plot. *rolls eyes at myself* But it is sad because some relationships DO get to that point, which is unfortunate for the people in the relationship and pure toxic, especially if there are children around. No child (or anyone in general) should ever feel like living in an abused home is okay because it's not. Abuse is never okay no matter who you are as a person. It's a crime. Children should grow up with beautiful, untainted childhoods. They shouldn't feel like their parents fighting is their fault because truthfully, it's not.

I wanted to keep the reality of the situation by not giving a perfect ending. These things take time to end and are definitely not solved overnight.

Okay, putting aside my philosophical values, I hope you guys enjoyed this one!


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